Automated egg injection machine and method

ABSTRACT

A pneumatically operated egg injection machine includes a sealed frame structure with a pair of in line parallel tracks through an injection section and a transfer section in series. An injection assembly includes a plurality of injectors gripped in a support plate to simultaneously inject vaccine into the same injection region irrespective of egg height and orientation. Fluid delivery systems meter prescribed vaccine dosages to the injecting needles with reduced turbulence, friction, heat and residence time to increase the delivered titer to the injected eggs. A transfer assembly lifts the injected eggs by causing a reduced pressure around the injection hole while maintaining the injection hole at atmospheric pressure. The injection assembly is sprayed with a sanitizing solution at the same time that the injected eggs are moved from the injection section to the transfer section.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional application of application Ser. No.11/712,989, filed Mar. 2, 2007, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,503,279 which is adivisional of application Ser. No. 10/868,361 filed Jun. 16, 2004, nowU.S. Pat. No. 7,185,603, which is a continuation application of Ser. No.09/949,900 filed Sep. 12, 2001, now abandoned, the priority of whichapplications is hereby claimed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a machine for the injectionof eggs, typically referred to as “in ovo” injection, and the methodperformed in such egg injection. More specifically, the presentinvention is directed to a machine and method for the automatedinjection of various substances into eggs, especially live vaccines forthe control of diseases in chickens and other avian flocks.

2. Prior Art

Advances in poultry embryology have made possible the addition ofvarious materials to the embryo or the environment around the embryowithin an avian egg for the purpose of encouraging beneficial effects inthe subsequently hatched chicks. The substances which may be addedinclude antimicrobials such as antibiotics, bactericides andsulfonamides; vitamins; enzymes; nutrients; organic salts; hormones;adjuvants; immune stimulators, probiotics and vaccines. This in ovoinjection technique can, for example, lead to an increased percentage ofhatch. The chicks from eggs that are injected prior hatch may retain asufficient amount of the injected substance so there is no need toinject the hatched bird. The chicks may grow faster and larger andexperience improvement in other physical characteristics. Additionally,certain types of vaccinations which could previously only be carried outupon either recently hatched or fully mature poultry can now besuccessfully delivered in the embryonated chick.

Thus, in ovo injection has become an effective means for diseaseprevention in avian flocks. In the poultry industry, a high incidence ofinfectious disease increases the cull rate and causes a high rate ofmortality during the growing stage of young birds. One example of theinfectious diseases is Marek's disease. It is a viral disease ofchickens resulting in a type of cancer, and is one of the most seriousthreats to poultry health. This virus lies latent in T-cells, which area type of white blood cells. T-cells are an integral part of the immunesystem response which is the bird's natural defense against disease.Within three weeks of infection, the fatal virus manifests as aggressivetumors in the spleen, liver, kidney, gonads, skin and muscle of theinfected bird.

It has been found that by proper selection of both the site and time ofinoculation, embryonic vaccination can be effective in the control ofpoultry diseases. It is essential that the egg be injected during thefinal quarter of the incubation period, and that the inoculate beinjected within either of the regions defined by the amnion or the yolksac. Under these conditions, the embryo will favorably respondimmunologically to the vaccine with no significant impairment of itsprenatal development.

A live cell-associated virus vaccine of tissue culture origin typicallycontains the Rispens strain, the SB1 strain of the chicken herpes-virusand the FC 126 HVT strain of the turkey herpes virus alone or incombination. The vaccine is presented in glass ampules containingconcentrated vaccine, typically 1000 doses each, with a specified titerdefined as Plaque Forming Units (“PFUs”) The vaccine product is storedin a frozen condition typically in liquid nitrogen freezer and shippedin liquid nitrogen. A special sterile diluent is supplied in a separatepackage, typically a sealed plastic bag with appropriate injection portand delivery tube opening. The vaccine is reconstituted by thawing thefrozen vaccine in the glass ampule. The ampule is then broken open andthe liquid vaccine product is withdrawn from the ampule using a needleand syringe. The diluent is stored at room temperature until use whenthe concentrated vaccine product withdrawn from the ampule by the needleand syringe is then injected into the diluent contained in the sealedplastic bag through the bag injection port. The reconstituted vaccine isthen ready for delivery from the sealed bag through the delivery tube.

There are various factors that affect the level of PFUs delivered by alive cell vaccine, such as Marek's vaccine, to an inoculated specimen.Most of these factors occur during the vaccine reconstitution and in thedelivery process. The factors which affect the level of PFUs deliveredto the egg have to do with vaccine handling, temperature, turbulence inthe syringe, air pressure, friction, pH, vaccine delivery tube length,diameter and configuration, needle length and diameter, needle shape anddelay in vaccine consumption after thawing. Elimination or reduction ofthe adverse effects arising from these noted factors would greatlyimprove the inoculation process for Marek's vaccine, specifically, andfor live vaccines, generally.

The automated in ovo injection technique involves delivering a vaccinein fluid form to the interior of an egg using an automated machine whichdelivers the vaccine to the egg through a needle. The needle can be usedto both penetrate the egg shell and deliver the fluid substances, or theopening in the shell can be performed separately in advance of the fluidinjection. The egg can be injected at any location within the egg, andeven into the embryo itself. The suitability of a particular locationdepends on the purpose for which the egg is being injected and the fluidsubstance delivered. Some substances must be delivered to a particularlocation within the egg in order to be effective. The problem withlocating the needle at the appropriate injection point is that eggs varyin size, thus varying the distance between the shell and the location atwhich delivery of the fluid substance is desired. A primary goal ofautomated in ovo injection is to be able to handle a high egg volume ina short period of time while consistently delivering a correct amount ofvaccine fluid to the desired location within each of the eggs andwithout contaminating the eggs.

Typically, the eggs are incubated by the hatchery in an incubating trayplaced in an incubator or setter machine. After injection, the injectedeggs must be transferred to a hatching tray to be placed in the hatchersor hatching machine. Usually, the eggs from two or more incubating traysare transferred to each hatching tray. Conventional incubating traysinclude the Chick Master® 54 tray, the Jamesway® 42 tray, and theJamesway® 84 tray (in each case, the number indicates the number of eggscarried by the tray). The eggs from three Chick Master® 54 trays, or atotal of 162 eggs, would be transferred to a single hatching tray; theeggs from four Jamesway® 42 trays, or a total of 168 eggs, would betransferred to a single hatching tray; and the eggs from two Jamesway®84 trays, or a total of 168 eggs, would be transferred to a singlehatching tray. There are some incubating trays, such as the LaNationale® incubating tray, which are sufficiently large enough toinclude a total number of eggs, in this case 132 eggs, such that theeggs from a single incubating tray would be transferred to itscorresponding hatching tray.

Automated machines and methods for simultaneously injecting a largenumber of eggs are known. In one well known commercial machine, the eggsin the incubating trays are brought under a bank of injectors whichhouse both needles and punches. First, the punches open a hole in theegg shell. Then, the needle is inserted into the egg through the openhole, followed by injection of the fluid. The punch is necessary becausethe needle is long and thin and can not repeatedly punch egg shellswithout bending and/or clogging. This system is shown, for example, inU.S. Pat. No. 4,691,063 to Hebrank. In another machine, such as shown inU.S. Pat. No. 6,240,877 B1, the injectors house a single needle whichboth punches the hole in the egg shell with a closed needle end and thendelivers the fluid through a hole in the side of the needle tip. Thereare drawbacks to both of these prior art needle systems.

There is another major drawback in the two known automated machines andmethods in that they inject the eggs in the incubating trays insequence, rather than all at one time. The injecting needles must thenbe sanitized after each injecting sequence. Hence, the sequentialinjection of the eggs slows down the overall operation of the machine.Equally important, the sanitizing solution remains on the undersurfaceof the injection assembly and/or needles as they move over to the nextsection of eggs to be injected. This allows the sanitizing solution todrip onto the next group of eggs to be injected, thus raising potentialcontamination hazards.

Automated machines for simultaneously injecting eggs must also addressthe fact that eggs are not identical in size. In addition, they musttake into account the fact that the eggs may be slightly tilted withrespect to the injectors when carried in the egg depressions of theincubating trays. Because the depressions are designed to accommodatethe varying sizes of eggs, the eggs are free to wobble in thedepression. The ability to accurately and precisely control the travelof a needle within the egg is diminished when the egg is tilted, evenwhere the relative vertical travel between the egg and the needle iscarefully controlled to account for differences in egg height.

Different methods have been used for dealing with the varying egg sizeand egg position in the egg flat. In the aforesaid in ovo inoculatingmachine disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,681,063, the injectors include aflexible cup at their lower end which serves to engage the eggshell forpositioning prior to punching the hole and injecting the fluid orvaccine. One of the problems with this inoculating machine is that thesuction cups used to secure and transfer the eggs during and afterinoculation are right over the injection holes. Changes in pressureinside the egg can cause contamination in the eggs and an open suctionarea in the mouth of the cup can cause contamination into the cups. Thenthe dark wet surface areas inside the cups become a good place for moldand bacteria to grow. Subsequent injections then infect the subsequentlyinjected eggs.

In the in ovo injecting machine of the other patent, U.S. Pat. No.6,240,877 B1, the injectors include an articulating nesting cup at thelower end, which has a frustoconical inner surface to engage theeggshell. Then, when the injector body is held in position by themachine, the nesting cup holds the egg in position for punching andinjecting the egg. One problem with this injector design is the largenumber of operating and moving parts which wear, fail, and/or becomesubject to fatigue, over time and must be repaired or replaced, withconsequent downtime of the machine.

Existing in ovo injection machines are also believed to be damaging tolive virus vaccines, such as Marek's vaccine, due to the destruction ofthe live cells from the time that the concentrated vaccine isreconstituted with the diluent, transferred from the storage containerto the injectors through the machine tubing and passageways and finallydelivered to the eggs through the injecting needles. The residence timeof the reconstituted vaccine in the machine before delivery to the eggand the heat, friction and turbulence that the vaccine encounters as itmoves through the machine from the storage container and out through theinjecting needle are all highly detrimental to the live cells in knownvaccines, particularly Marek's vaccine, and substantially reduce thePFUs which are delivered to the eggs through the injecting needles. Itis believed that the known in ovo injecting machines could reduce thelevel of PFUs delivered from the injecting needles as much as 75%, andmore, from the prescribed titer specified by the vaccine manufacturer.

While it was known that length of delivery time, heat and turbulencecould be detrimental to the live cell count of various vaccines,including Marek's vaccine, it was not appreciated that these factorswere causing significant live cell destruction in the in ovo injectingmachines commercially available. More specifically, it was notappreciated that residence time of the vaccine in the machine, or thelength of time the vaccine is subjected to heat in the machine, or thefriction imparted to the vaccine while traveling through the machine, orthe significant turbulence caused to the vaccine during the deliveryprocess, could all significantly reduce the live cell count, or the PFUsof the vaccine, including Marek's vaccine, in the automated delivery ofthe vaccine to the egg. Furthermore, it was not appreciated as importantthat an automated in ovo injecting machine should be designed to reducethe adverse effect of these factors, i.e. residence time, excess heat,friction and turbulence, on the live cell count of the vaccines.

Turning to other aspects of known automated in ovo injection machines,they typically include a transfer section in the machine, after egginjection, to transfer the injected eggs from the incubating trays tohatching trays. In one well known machine, flexible suction cups, asdisclosed in the aforesaid U.S. Pat. No. 4,681,063, are used to lift theinjected eggs from the incubating tray for transfer to the hatchingtray. However, as pointed out previously, these flexible suction cupscause a likelihood that bacteria and mold will enter subsequent eggs,thus creating the possibility of cross-contamination, since the samesuction cups are used repeatedly in creating a reduced pressure insidethe eggs through the injection hole. Other type transfer stations, orseparate machines, are also known. Such separate transfer machines aredisclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,107,794 and 5,247,903. One drawback ofthese latter transfer machines is the possibility of egg breakage as theeggs are rotated 180.degree. from the incubating tray (or egg flat) intothe hatching tray.

Furthermore, known commercial in ovo injection machines have the eggsgoing into the machine and coming out of the machine from the same sideof the machine or employ only a single tray track. More specifically,the operator places the incubating tray containing the eggs to beinjected into the front end of the machine. After transfer of theinjected eggs into the hatching tray, the filled hatching tray isremoved by the operator also from the front or side of the machine. Inmore modern facilities, it may be more desirable for the incubatingtrays with the eggs for injection to be inserted at the front end of themachine, and have the filled hatching tray removed from the opposite orrear end of the machine. Such a through machine would permit the filledincubating tray and empty hatching tray to be loaded in a side-by-siderelation at the front end of the machine, the trays to move parallelin-line through the machine, and the empty incubating tray and filledhatching tray after transfer to move away from the rear end of themachine by automatic operation. Such a design would allow the injectionmachine to operate more quickly and with less labor.

In addition to the foregoing, the known commercial automated in ovoinjecting machines have a large number of mechanically operatingcomponents which are subject to wear, fatigue and failure during thelong operating hours of the machine, thus requiring constant repair andreplacement. The machine designs are also such as to allow dir, airbornecontaminants, broken egg particles, etc. to collect in cracks, crevicesand corners, which are not readily susceptible to cleaning or powerwashing. This contaminant accumulation can cause sanitation problemsduring the process of injecting the eggs under high speeds and over longhours of use.

For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for an automated injectingapparatus and method for simultaneously injecting eggs which are lesslabor-intensive than known systems, which can lend themselves toautomated conveyor systems and which can be kept clean and free ofdebris collecting corners and crevices. The apparatus should handle ahigh volume of eggs with a high level of precision with respect to boththe location and quality of vaccine delivered. The apparatus and methodshould also reduce the residence time of the vaccine in the machineprior to injection into the egg, reduce the amount of heat to which thevaccine is subjected prior to injection, reduce the friction to whichthe vaccine is subjected in the machine, and reduce the turbulencecreated in the vaccine during its passage from the vaccine delivery bagthrough the machine apparatus, tubing and needle and into the egg.

Ideally, fluid delivery should be quick, gentle and precise so as not todamage live vaccine cells. The apparatus design and overall method ofoperation should be sanitary so as to minimize, if not eliminate,cross-contamination and allow for good machine cleanability. The machinedesign should also minimize operating mechanical parts and facilitateboth manufacture and operation, thus reducing manufacturing, operatingand maintenance costs as compared to known machines and methods.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing drawbacks in known automated in ovo injectionmachines, the present invention provides an in line parallel track egginjection apparatus and method for in ovo injection that overcomesdrawbacks in known machines. The injection apparatus of the presentinvention provides a method for simultaneously injecting a large numberof eggs with a desired vaccine fluid at a predetermined location withinthe egg and with a higher delivered quality of vaccine than knownmachines.

The present invention is particularly adapted for use with conventionalincubating trays or egg carriers often referred to as “egg flats.” Byusing the normal incubating tray or egg flat, the present inventioneliminates the need to transfer the eggs into special injection trays.As described above, the eggs from one to four, or more, incubating traysare to be injected and transferred for each hatching tray. The injectionapparatus and method of the present invention contemplates that all ofthe eggs necessary for a single hatching tray be injected at one time inthe incubating tray or trays, whether it be three Chick Master® 54trays, four Jamesway® 42 trays, two Jamesway® 84 trays, or a single LaNationale® tray. Hatcheries often place the appropriate number ofincubating trays carrying the total eggs necessary for transfer onto asingle hatching tray on an egg flat carrier, or “egg flat”, whichpositions the incubating trays in proper longitudinal alignment. As usedherein, therefore, the term “incubating tray” is intended to include anappropriate number of incubating trays, whether one, two, three, four ormore sufficient to fill one hatching tray, so that the eggs aresimultaneously injected and the hatching tray is then filled all at onetime during a single injection and transfer cycle in accordance with thepresent invention.

The injection apparatus of the present invention includes an uprightrigid frame which divides the machine longitudinally, or in the machinedirection, into two sections, an injection section and a transfersection. The injection section comprises generally the front half of themachine and the transfer section comprises generally the rear half ofthe machine. The frame also includes a generally rectangular horizontalsupport structure which defines two spaced side-by-side parallel in-linetracks divided by a center guide. The parallel in-line tracks and centerguide extend longitudinally through the machine and are approximatelywaist high in the vertical height of the machine. The parallel tracksare designed to receive and transport the incubating trays and hatchingtrays in a generally parallel side-by-side relationship through theinjection and transfer sections of the machine. The tracks and centerguide thus divide the machine in the transverse, or cross-machine,direction generally into two sides, a right side and a left side, as onefaces the machine at the front end. In a preferred embodiment, theincubating trays travel the track on the machine right side and thehatching trays travel the track on the machine left side.

Each parallel track includes a pair of parallel guide rails on each sideto support the incubating and hatching trays. The inside guide rail oneach track is integral with or supported on the center guide. Theoutside guide rail of the incubating tray track is movable laterally toclamp the tray in position laterally in each of the injection andtransfer sections during the injection and transfer sequences. Eachparallel track also includes a tray positioning assembly to move thetrays longitudinally along their respective parallel tracks. Hence, theincubating trays with the eggs for injection are inserted into themachine along the right side or incubating tray track and empty hatchingtrays are inserted into the machine on the left side or hatching traytrack both from the front end of the machine. Once the incubating traywith the eggs for injection is inserted onto the right side track, theassociated tray positioning assembly positions the tray longitudinallyagainst a retractable stop which extends out of the center guide. Themovable outer guide rail is then moved inwardly to clamp the tray in theprescribed position in the injection section.

At the injection section is an injection assembly supported on themachine frame structure over the incubating tray track carrying the eggsto be injected. As stated above, the injection section is positionedtoward the front end of the machine so that filled incubating traysentering the machine first pass through the injection section. Theinjector assembly includes a generally horizontal injector support andholding plate and a series of individual injectors which are eachseparately supported in a pattern of holes or openings in the supportplate. In accordance with the present invention, all of the eggs in theincubating tray are injected by the injector assembly at one time and,hence, there are an equal number of holes or openings in the supportplate as there are eggs to be injected in the incubating tray. Theopenings then vertically align the injectors with all of the eggs, oneinjector over each egg, in the incubating tray. The plate is supportedfrom a pair of vertically actuating pneumatic cylinders spaciallymounted on a longitudinally extending, stationary bridge structure whichis mounted on the machine frame. When the pneumatic cylinders move theinjector support plate downwardly, and the bottom of each injectorengages its aligned egg, each individual injector can move verticallyupward in its support plate opening to adjust for varying heights of theeggs.

The vertically movable injectors include an injector body or housingwhich carries the injecting needle assembles. The needle assemblyincludes a single needle for both egg shell penetration and fluidinjection thereby eliminating the need for a separate punch. A soft eggengaging nipple is attached on the lowermost end of each injectorhousing. The egg engaging nipple of the instant invention presents amuch smaller circular contact area to the egg, on the order of less thanabout one-half inch diameter, and preferably about three-eighths inch,than the contact area of injectors of known machines. This small contactarea better accommodates the varying sizes of eggs and egg tiltencountered when the eggs are positioned on the incubating trays. Eachinjector and its associated needle are designed so that the needleextends into the same injection region irrespective of the size andorientation of the egg.

Once the injection assembly reaches it lowermost position, and theengaging nipples of all injectors are in contact with their alignedeggs, the injectors are pneumatically clamped into their respectiveplate openings at each individual injector height as dictated by thesize and orientation of each individual egg. All of the eggs are theninjected simultaneously by pneumatically operating the injection needleassembly within the injector housing to extend the injection needlewhich punches each of the egg shells and extends into the designatedinjection region. The controller or computer then signals the vaccinedelivery system to deliver a prescribed quantity of vaccine through theneedles and into the eggs. The needle assemblies and needles are thenpneumatically retracted back into the injector housings, and the supportplate is lifted by the pneumatic cylinders carrying with it theplurality of injectors.

Once the eggs in the incubating tray are injected and the injectorassembly lifted off the eggs, the clamping outer rail is released andthe incubating tray with the injected eggs is moved on its rails to theback half of the machine underneath a transfer assembly at the transfersection. The incubating tray is moved from the injection section to thetransfer section by the tray positioning assembly or pusher assemblywhich pushes the incubator tray in its track in response to completionof the egg injection. The incubator tray reaches its proper longitudinalposition on the right side track when the tray's front end engagesanother retractable stop at the rear end of the machine which extendsout of the center guide. The movable outer guide rail of the transfersection is then moved inwardly to clamp the incubating tray in theprescribed location in the transfer section. The injected eggs are thenin position for transfer by the transfer assembly.

The transfer assembly is supported by a rectangular support structuremounted on the machine frame, which extends over both the incubatingtray track and the hatching tray track. The transfer assembly includes asupport plate having a pattern of holes or opening which verticallyalign with each injected egg in the incubating tray. The transfersupport plate is supported from a pair of vertically actuating pneumaticcylinders spacially mounted on a longitudinally extending bridgestructure, similar to the injection section bridge structure, but thetransfer section bridge structure is designed to move horizontally, ortransversely, across the machine within the rectangular supportstructure. Hence, the transfer assembly is capable of being positioneddirectly over the incubating tray containing the injected eggs on theright hand track and a hatching tray on the left hand track.

Vertically supported or mounted in each support plate hole is a uniquetransfer suction cup assembly which can engage each egg independently asthe support plate is lowered onto the injected eggs in the incubatingtray and adjust for egg size variation and orientation. The transfersuction cup assembly is designed to pneumatically apply suction forgripping the egg at a location away from the injection hole. Morespecifically, the transfer suction cup assembly of the present inventiongrips the egg in a vacuum ring which surrounds the injection hole, whileleaving the injection hole at atmospheric pressure. As such, the suctioncup assembly of the present invention is not creating reduced pressureinside the egg, and the potential for contamination of the suction cupassembly and cross-contamination of the eggs is substantially reduced.

After the transfer suction cup assemblies grip the injected eggs in theincubating tray, the pneumatic cylinders lift the support plate, thuslifting all of the transfer suction cup assemblies and the gripped eggsout of the incubating tray. Once the pneumatic cylinders complete theirupstroke, a transverse pneumatic cylinder moves the moving bridgestructure of the transfer assembly, together with the support plate,suction cup assemblies and gripped eggs, horizontally across the machineinto overlying relation with the hatching tray track and the emptyhatching tray positioned on the rails thereof. The vertically actingpneumatic cylinders lower the support plate so that the eggs engage thebottom of the hatching tray. The pneumatic suction in the transfersuction cups then is released, thus releasing the injected eggs into thehatching tray. The support plate with the suction cup assemblies is thenraised to its up position and returned laterally by the transversepneumatic cylinder to its starting position above the incubator traytrack to repeat the transfer operation.

Supported on the tray positioning or pusher assembly is a sanitizingassembly in alignment with the injector assembly. The sanitizingassembly is equipped to spray sanitizing solution on the underneath sideof the injectors and extended needles after each egg injecting cycle.The sanitizing assembly sprays the solution upwardly onto the underneathside of the injection assembly, and a pan collects the used solutionafter it drips off the underneath side of the needles (which areretracted after sanitizing), the injectors and the injector supportplate. The engaging nipple at the bottom of each injector also engagesthe outside wall of its associated needle and serves as a wiper as theneedle is retracted into the injector housing. A clean injectionenvironment is thus maintained since all egg-contacting surfaces aresanitized after each injection cycle. This minimizes the potential forcross-contamination of the eggs.

Further, the injection machine of the present invention preferably isequipped with a hand held spray wand and nozzle as an integral part ofthe machine. The spray wand and nozzle are separately connected to thesanitizing solution and/or water containers so that components of themachine can be sanitized if broken or exploded eggs or the likecontaminate components of the machine. The sanitizing and/or cleaningoperation can be carried out without having to shut down the machinewhich would occur if the dirtied or contaminated areas are cleaned byhand.

The machine frame includes a lower shelf to support containers for thesanitizing solution, the various cleaning solutions, water and othermachine components. The frame also supports a control cabinet whichhouses the controller or computer. The control panel is preferable abovethe left side or hatching tray track laterally across from the injectionsection in the front half of the machine. Further, the control cabinetis preferably under a slight head pressure, as by exhausting air fromthe pneumatic cylinders into the control cabinet. Pressurizing thecontrol cabinet serves to prevent airborne contamination and moisturefrom entering the cabinet.

In accordance with an earlier embodiment of the in ovo injection machineof the present invention, the vaccine delivery system comprises aheart-type valve pump and a modular distribution manifold, both of whichare pneumatically operated. This system moves the vaccine from thedelivery bag or other vaccine storage container through the machinetubing and delivers a consistently sized quantity of vaccine to eachegg. The pneumatically operated valve pump moves the vaccine with aminimum of friction and turbulence. The pump valve chamber is divided bya flexible pump membrane into a vaccine valve chamber and an airpressure chamber. By pneumatically drawing air out of the air pressurechamber and moving the flexible membrane to expand the volume of thevaccine chamber, the valve pump initially suctions vaccine from thedelivery bag and into the vaccine valve chamber. Then, when theinjection needles have pierced the egg shell, air is forced back intothe air pressure chamber, pneumatically actuating the valve membrane toforce a prescribed quantity of vaccine into the distribution manifold.As the valve injects a prescribed quantity of the vaccine into thedistribution manifold, a precise quantity of vaccine fluid is forced outof each needle port into the respective egg interior. Preferable, thereare two modular distribution manifolds and associated heart-type valvepumps which are mounted longitudinally on the machine frame, one on eachside of the injection assembly so that the hose distance between eachmanifold outlet port and the vaccine inlet to the needle of eachinjector is maintained at a minimum.

More recently, a high precision vaccine delivery system has beendeveloped. The high precision vaccine delivery system in accordance withthe present invention maintains maximum vaccine stability and assuresprecise reproducible dosing for each needle. In particular, the highprecision vaccine delivery system of the present invention utilizes aunique valve distribution manifold incorporating a pneumatic pressurechamber and a series of pneumatically operated delivery valves whichdeliver the vaccine with a minimum of friction and turbulence. The valvedistribution manifold includes an elongated main body section, andmating elongated back and top body sections. The elongated main bodysection contains a vaccine chamber and has an elongated opening in itsback wall. The elongated back body section defines a low pressure airchamber and has an elongated opening in its front wall which mates withthe elongated opening in the back wall of the main body section. Aflexible diaphragm is positioned between the elongated openings andsegregates the vaccine chamber from the low pressure air chamber. Theelongated top section defines a high pressure air chamber whichpneumatically operates the series of pneumatic delivery valves tocontrol the flow of vaccine from the vaccine chamber to the individualmanifold outlet ports which feed the injection needles. Again, two valvedistribution manifolds are preferably positioned longitudinally on themachine frame, one on each side of the injection assembly.

A vaccine receiving valve, preferably on one end of the distributionmanifold, initially opens to allow the vaccine to flow gently by gravityfrom the delivery bag or storage container into the manifold vaccinechamber. Once it is full, the receiving valve is pneumatically closed toisolate the vaccine chamber from the external gravity pressure producedby the raised position of the delivery bag versus the vaccine chamber.When the injection needles have pierced the egg shell, the low pressureair chamber is pressurized to push the flexible diaphragm evenly alongthe elongated mated openings, which increases the hydraulic pressure inthe vaccine chamber and manifold main body section. Then by releasingthe high pressure from the individual vaccine delivery valves for apredetermined amount of time, a precise volume of vaccine fluid isdelivered from each outlet port into the needles and then into therespective egg cavity. By varying the predetermined amount of time thatthe vaccine delivery valves are released to the open position, thevolume of vaccine fluid delivered by each needle into its respective eggcavity can be easily adjusted.

This latter high precision vaccine delivery assembly and method alsoeliminates the pumping of fluids through conventional fluid-handlingsystems and offers both precise and cell-safe fluid delivery. Few orvirtually no live cells are destroyed in the delivery, ensuring that aneffective quantity of vaccine titer reaches each injected egg.

Further, it has been found that air can build up in the horizontallypositioned vaccine delivery manifold of commercial machines and thatthis air build up can interfere with delivering a precise fluid quantitythrough the injection needles. Surprisingly, the air build up in themanifold can be avoided if the manifold is tilted approximately1.degree.-2.degree., or more, off the horizontal. Preferably, themanifold is tilted upwardly away from the inlet and toward the outerend, such that the inlet end is lower than the outer end. Any entrappedair will hence travel to the outer end, where it can be readily bled offas necessary. In the high precision vaccine delivery assembly and methodof the present invention, a pneumatically operated vaccine purging valveis mounted at the end of the distribution manifold opposite from the endhaving the vaccine receiving valve. As such, the vaccine purging valvecan be conveniently opened to purge the manifold of air as desired.

The injecting needles in the injectors of the present invention arespecially designed to reduce friction and turbulence in accordance withthe teaching of our copending application, U.S. Ser. No. 09/835,482,filed Apr. 17, 2001, owned by the same assignee as the instantapplication. Specifically, the needles are shorter, i.e. less than 6inches in length, have a larger diameter, i.e. 22 gauge or less, and aspecially shaped entry opening. The vaccine delivery systems have alsobeen designed to reduce friction, turbulence and residence time of thevaccine in the machine. Similarly, the machine has been designed, andthe components arranged, so as to shorten tubing length and eliminateT-connections, thus again reducing friction and turbulence in thevaccine and its residence time in the machine.

The vertically movable injectors for injecting fluid substances into theeggs in accordance with the present invention are also uniquely designedto have a minimum of moving parts. An injection needle assembly ismoveable between a retracted needle position and an extended needleinjecting position by pneumatic pressure. The needle assembly includes acylindrical piston surrounding the needle which moves in a generallyvertical cylinder inside the injector body. Pneumatic pressure is thenselectively fed to the cylinder, on either side of the needle piston, todrive the needle in either direction, extended or retracted.

The injection machine in accordance with present invention also includesa device to monitor the quantity of vaccine remaining in the fluidsupply bag and feed a continuous signal based thereon to the centralcomputer of the machine for analysis. The machine also measures thelength of time the bag has been in use on the machine since extendedtime can adversely affect the titer of the remaining vaccine. Thecomputer then provides the operator with real time information to alertthe operator when the fluid delivery bag should be replaced, as well asto calculate the total vaccine used after each injection cycle todetermine whether the proper dosage has been administered. If thecalculations vary outside an established variance, the computer notifiesthe operator of the error.

As evident from the foregoing, after injection, when the incubating traycontaining the injected eggs is moved to the transfer section of themachine, a empty hatching tray is similarly moving in its parallel trackto the transfer section. While the eggs in the next incubating tray arebeing injected at the injection section, the already injected eggs inthe incubating tray at the transfer section are being transferred by thetransfer assembly to the empty hatching tray. Accordingly, the injectedeggs in a first incubator tray at the transfer section can have the eggstransferred to a hatching tray, while a second egg flat containing eggsto be injected can be injected at the injection section. As the nexttrays are inserted into the front of the machine, the now emptyincubating tray from which the injected eggs have been transferred tothe hatching tray and the filled hatching tray are moved out of the rearend of the machine.

The in ovo injection machine of the present invention has been designedso that the empty incubating tray and filled hatching tray can beautomatically off-loaded from the rear of the machine onto automaticconveyor(s). Thus, the machine requires only a single operator at thefront of the machine to load filled incubator trays with the eggs to beinjected on one parallel track and an empty hatching tray on the otheradjacent parallel track. Alternatively, the parallel trays could beloaded by automatic conveyors or appropriate loading systems. Themachine then sequentially moves both trays in parallel tracks, first tothe injection section for injecting the eggs in the filled incubatingtray, then second to the transfer section for transfer of the injectedeggs from the incubating tray to the empty hatching tray, and thereafterboth the empty incubating tray and the filled hatching tray can beremoved by an operator or off-loaded to takeaway conveyors at the backend of the machine. Thus, labor can be reduced from known machines andmethods while at the same time improving output speed.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an automated in ovoinjection machine and method which includes two spaced side-by-sideparallel in-line longitudinal tracks which support and guide incubatingtrays and hatching trays through the machine from the front to the back,first to an injection section and then to a transfer section. Theparallel in-line longitudinal tracks in accordance with the machine ofthe present invention permit the machine to be utilized with automatedoff loading conveyors, as well as automated feeding conveyors. If manuallabor is utilized, only a single operator is required for the front endof the machine and a single operator for the rear or back of themachine, and each handles a similar loading and unloading operation,i.e. one egg filled tray and one empty tray, thereby facilitating thetiming of their activities.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an in ovoinjection machine in accordance with the preceding object in which thefilled incubating tray and empty hatching tray are inserted onto theparallel in-line longitudinal tracks through the front of the machineand pass to the injection section where all of the eggs aresimultaneously injected at one time so as to speed up the operation ofthe machine and reduce the dripping of sanitizing solution on the nextgroup of eggs to be injected.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an in ovoinjection machine in accordance with the preceding objects in which theincubating tray with the injected eggs and the empty hatching tray areautomatically transported along the parallel in-line tracks to atransfer section where the injected eggs are transferred by a transferassembly, first upwardly out of the incubating tray, then horizontallyacross the machine, and finally downwardly into the hatching tray. Theempty incubating tray and filled hatching tray are then off loaded fromthe back of the machine.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an automated inovo injection machine and method which are fully pneumatically operatedfor all moving parts and vaccine delivery, thus avoiding the necessityof electric motors and/or hydraulic pumps, components and circuits whichcan cause undesired vaccine turbulence, friction and heat. Byeliminating pumps, the vaccine is subjected to low internal linepressure which leads to minimized hydraulic shear, fluid turbulence,friction and cell destruction.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide aninjection machine and method in accordance with the preceding objectsand which are controller or computer operated and controlled withappropriate visual display monitor and control signals to fully informthe operator regarding the operation of the machine, including anymalfunctions or other unknown misoperation.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide aninjection machine and method which include a vaccine monitoring systemto monitor the quantity of vaccine remaining in the vaccine delivery bagand the time in operation in order to give the operator advance warningthat the vaccine delivery bag should be replaced, and also monitor theamount of vaccine injected into the eggs during each injection sequenceto verify the correct dosage size.

Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide an in ovoinjecting machine and method which incorporate a sealed machine framemade from similar size and shape components, such as square stainlesssteel stock, and with all connections made by welding, so as toeliminate cracks and crevices and openings where particles can collectand bacteria grow, thus reducing contamination and facilitating machinewashing.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide an in ovoinjection machine and method which incorporate an improved design forvaccine flow in order to reduce friction, turbulence, heat and machineresidence time, including an arranging of the components to reducedistances (and thereby reduce hose length) and eliminate T-connections,an elimination of pumping of the vaccine and a utilizing of injectingneedles which are shorter, have a larger diameter and specially shapedentry opening.

Yet another object in accordance with the present invention is toprovide a pneumatically-operated heart-type valve pump and modularvaccine delivery system for an in ovo injecting machine which reducesthe friction, turbulence, heat and residence time imparted to thevaccine by the machine.

It is a further object in accordance with the present invention toprovide a high precision, pneumatically-operated vaccine deliveryassembly and method for an in ovo injection machine which introducevirtually no turbulence and friction to a vaccine, thus destroying fewor virtually no live cells and insuring that an effective quantity ofvaccine titer reaches each injected egg, as well as delivering a preciseadjustable volume of vaccine fluid to each needle.

It is yet a further object in accordance with the present invention toprovide a high precision vaccine delivery assembly and method inaccordance with the preceding object in which the assembly and methoddeliver the vaccine fluid with a sufficient force to clear any materialwhich may have inadvertently been entrained on the needle tip duringpunching.

It is yet another object to provide a high precision vaccine deliveryassembly and method in accordance with the present invention which hasother applications besides in ovo injection machines, such as fillingmultiple vials in pharmaceutical or biological research or vaccineproduction, etc.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an injectionmachine and method in which air entrapped in the vaccine deliverymanifold of the vaccine delivery assembly is collected at one end of themanifold by tilting the manifold approximately 1°-2°, or more, offhorizontal, and periodically purging the collected air from the higherend of the manifold.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide aninjection machine and method which include an improved injectionassembly support plate to pneumatically hold each injector in itsindividually selected position determined by the size and orientation ofits respective contacted egg.

It is still another object in accordance with the present invention toprovide an improved injector for an in ovo injection machine which canaccommodate a shorter needle and has a minimum of moving parts, thusreducing wear and fatigue and ultimate replacement, and operatespneumatically to move the needle in both directions, extended andretracted. Further, the improved injector allows the needle to injectthe vaccine into the approximate center of rotation of the egg, thusinjecting into the same egg region regardless of egg orientation in theincubating tray.

Still a further object in accordance with the present invention is toprovide an improved injector and injecting needle in accordance with thepreceding object and in which the needle is shorter in length and largerin diameter to reduce turbulence and friction while at the same timepunching the injection hole without bending or clogging, thuseliminating the necessity for a separate punch or delivering the vaccinethrough needle side holes with a closed needle end for punching.

It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide aninjection machine and method in which all of the eggs for one hatchingtray can be injected at an injection section and the injected eggs foranother hatching tray can be transferred to an empty hatching trayhorizontally across the machine at approximately the same time to speedup and simplify the operation of the machine and method.

It is yet another object in accordance with the present invention toprovide an improved suction cup assembly for an in ovo injection machineand method for transferring injected eggs which utilizes a vacuumsuction ring to pick up and hold the injected eggs, maintainsatmospheric pressure at the penetration hole and does not create anynegative pressure on the inside of the egg, thus reducing the potentialfor contamination of the suction cup and cross-contamination of theeggs.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide aninjection machine and method in which the tray positioning or pusherassembly which pushes the incubator tray from the injection section tothe transfer section supports one or more sanitizing nozzles that spraysanitizing and other solutions upwardly onto the underneath side of theinjection assembly (with the needles extended) so that all of thecontacting surfaces of the injection assembly are sanitized after eachinjection sequence and at the same time as the incubating tray withinjected eggs is moved from the injection section to the transfersection.

Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide aninjection machine and method in accordance with the preceding objectsand which utilizes pneumatic pressure to pressurize the sanitizing andcleaning solutions, water and other liquids in their respectivecontainers to cause liquid flow when an appropriate valve is opened,thus eliminating all liquid pumps and the like from the machine.

Still yet a further object of the present invention is to provide aninjection machine equipped with a hand held spray wand and nozzleseparately connected to the solution and water containers so that brokenor exploded eggs and the like can be washed down out of the underlyingdrain pans or otherwise off the machine frame and components, asdesired.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an injectionmachine in accordance with the preceding objects and which will conformto conventional forms of manufacture and will be economically feasible,long lasting and relatively trouble free in operation.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of constructions andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a right front perspective view of an injection machine inaccordance with the present invention, with certain components omitted;

FIG. 2 is a left front perspective view of the injection machine of FIG.1, with certain components omitted;

FIG. 3 is a left rear perspective view of the injection machine of FIG.1, with certain components omitted;

FIG. 4 is a right rear perspective view of the injection machine of FIG.1, with certain components omitted;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged right side perspective view of the front portionof the injection machine of FIG. 1, with certain components omitted,illustrating the injection section;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged right side perspective view of the rear portion ofthe injection machine of FIG. 1, with certain components omitted,illustrating the transfer section;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged front perspective view of the injection machine ofFIG. 1, with certain components omitted, illustrating the injectionassembly and side-by-side parallel incubating tray track and hatchingtray track;

FIG. 8 is a front plan view of the injection machine of FIG. 1, withcertain components omitted;

FIG. 9 is a side elevation view of the left side of the injectionmachine of FIG. 1, illustrating the control panel and transfer section;

FIG. 10 is a top plan view of the injection machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 11 is a schematic top plan view of the in line incubating andhatching tray tracks of the injection machine of FIG. 1, illustratingthe location of the fiber optic sensors and retractable stops in thecenter guide and inside guide rails;

FIG. 12A is a top plan view of a conventional incubating tray;

FIG. 12B is a side view of the incubating tray of FIG. 12A;

FIG. 13A is a top plan view of a conventional hatching tray;

FIG. 13B is a side view of the hatching tray of FIG. 13A;

FIG. 14 is a partial perspective view of the tray positioning or pusherassembly and the sanitization sprayer assembly used in the machine andmethod of the present invention;

FIG. 15 is a front partial perspective view of the pusher andsanitization sprayer assemblies of FIG. 14;

FIG. 16 is a top plan view of the injector support plate for use inaccordance with the present invention, illustrating a plurality ofopenings or holes for receiving the plurality of injectors and apneumatic circuit which controls the gripping or holding of theinjectors in the openings;

FIG. 17 is a partial perspective top view of the bottom half-plate ofthe injector support plate of FIG. 16, illustrating a plurality ofgripper rings positioned in the plate openings in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 18 is a partial sectional view taken along section line 18-18 inFIG. 16;

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of one of the plurality of gripper ringswhich engage the outer wall of the injector body when pneumaticallyexpanded in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 20 illustrates an injecting needle for the machine and method ofthe present invention, showing an improved top end for connecting to thevaccine tubing to reduce friction and turbulence;

FIG. 20A is an enlargement of the injecting needle top illustrated inFIG. 20;

FIGS. 21 and 21A illustrate an alternate top end for the injectingneedle used in accordance with the present invention;

FIGS. 22 and 22A illustrate still another embodiment of the top end forthe injecting needles in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 23 is a partial sectional view of an injector in accordance withthe present invention, illustrating the injection needle assemblypositioned within the injector housing in a retracted position, andshowing the injector positioned in an opening of the injector supportplate;

FIG. 24 is a sectional view of the injector and support plate shown inFIG. 23, but with the injection needle assembly in an extended position;

FIG. 25 is a sectional view of one embodiment of a vaccine deliverysystem for the injection apparatus and method of the present invention,illustrating the heart-type valve pump connected to a series ofside-by-side individual modules which are assembled together toconstruct the fluid distribution manifold;

FIG. 26 is a cross-sectional side view of one manifold module which whenassembled make up the fluid distribution manifold of the embodimentshown in FIG. 25;

FIG. 27 is a front elevation view of the manifold module of FIG. 26 foruse in the present invention;

FIG. 28 is a front elevation view of the fluid distribution manifold forthe embodiment of vaccine delivery system shown in FIG. 25, illustratinga plurality of the manifold modules connected together in series;

FIG. 29 is a bottom side perspective view of a high precision valvedistribution manifold in accordance with the present invention,illustrating the relationship of the various longitudinal body sectionsand the aligned vaccine delivery ports for delivering precise quantitiesof vaccine to the injectors and needles;

FIG. 30 is an exploded perspective view of the valve distributionmanifold of FIG. 29, illustrating the components from the sameperspective direction as FIG. 29;

FIG. 31 is an exploded perspective view of the valve distributionmanifold of FIG. 29, illustrating the components as seen from the backof the manifold;

FIG. 32 is a partial sectional view taken along sectional line 32-32 inFIG. 29;

FIG. 33 is a perspective view of the valve distribution manifold shownin FIG. 29, but illustrating the manifold from the opposite direction;

FIG. 34 is a sectional view of one embodiment of a suction cup assemblyfor use in gripping and transferring the injected eggs in accordancewith the present invention, illustrating the suction cup assemblysupported within an opening in a transfer support plate;

FIG. 35 is a bottom view of the flexible suction cup used in the suctioncup assembly shown in FIG. 34;

FIG. 36 is a cross-sectional view of the suction cup taken along line36-36 of FIG. 35;

FIGS. 37 and 38 are cross-sectional views of the suction cup assembly ofFIG. 34, illustrating how the assembly articulates in the opening of atransfer support plate when the injected eggs are in differentorientations in the incubating tray;

FIG. 39 is an exploded bottom side perspective view of anotherembodiment of a transfer support plate and suction cup assembly inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 40 is a bottom side perspective view of the transfer support plateand suction cup assembly as shown in FIG. 39, when assembled, with eachsuction cup assembly gripping an egg;

FIG. 41 is a side elevation view of the suction cup assembly shown inFIGS. 39 and 40;

FIG. 42 is a top view of the suction cup assembly shown in FIGS. 39 and40;

FIG. 43 is a partial cutaway, exploded perspective view of the flexiblebellows and suction cup components of the suction cup assembly shown inFIGS. 39 and 40;

FIG. 44 is a partial cross-sectional view of the suction cup assemblyshown in FIGS. 39 and 40;

FIG. 45 is a partial cutaway, perspective view of the assembled suctioncup assembly shown in FIGS. 39 and 40, illustrating the components ofthe suction cup assembly when in a compressed condition;

FIG. 46 is a partial cutaway perspective view of the assembled flexiblebellows and suction cup components of the suction cup assembly shown inFIGS. 39 and 40 with the suction cup gripping an egg; and

FIG. 47 is a partial cross-sectional view of the suction cup assemblyshown in FIG. 44, but illustrating preferred hardware at the upper endwhich permits quick connection into and out of the suction cup openingsin the transfer support plate.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Although preferred embodiments of the invention are explained in detail,it is to be understood that other embodiments are possible. Accordingly,it is not intended that the invention is to be limited in its scope tothe details of constructions and arrangement of components set forth inthe following description or illustrated in the drawings. The inventionis capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out invarious ways. Also, in describing the preferred embodiments, specificterminology will be resorted to for the sake of clarity. It is to beunderstood that each specific term includes all technical equivalentswhich operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose.

The term “birds”, as used herein, is intended to include males orfemales of avian species, but is primarily intended to encompass poultrywhich are commercially raised for eggs or meat, or to breed to producestock for eggs or meat. Accordingly, the term “bird” is particularlyintended to encompass either gender or any bird, including withoutlimitation, chickens, ducks, turkeys, geese, quail, ostriches,pheasants, and the like. The present invention may be practiced with anytype of bird egg.

The term “fluid”, as used herein, is intended to include any materialwhich will flow and is not limited to pure liquids. Thus, “fluid” refersto solutions, liquid-liquid suspensions, liquid-solid suspensions,gases, gaseous suspensions, emulsions, and any other material or mixtureof materials which exhibits fluid properties. Certain solid materialsalso fall under this term, such as biodegradable polymers (e.g., in theform of syringeable beads) which release active agents uponbiodegradation.

FIGS. 1-10 show the overall configuration of a parallel in-line machineor apparatus for inoculating eggs embodying the features of the presentinvention, which is denoted generally by reference numeral 100. Themachine or apparatus 100 comprises a parallel in line system andincludes a frame or frame structure, generally designated by referencenumeral 102.

The machine frame 102 includes upright leg members 104 at each cornerand four interior upright frame members 106 near the middle of theframe. The leg members 104 at each end of the frame 102 are rigidlyinterconnected near the bottom, middle and top by cross frame members108, 110 and 112, respectively. Similarly, the interior upright framemembers 106 are interconnected across the machine by similar cross framemembers 114, 116 and 118, respectively. Further, each upright leg member104 is rigidly connected on each side of the frame 102 to an interiorupright frame member 106 near their bottom, middle and top bylongitudinal frame members 120, 122 and 124, respectively. The two toplongitudinal frame members 124 on the right side are omitted from FIGS.1-7 for clarity. Finally, the adjacent interior upright frame members106 on each side of the machine are rigidly connected together by shortconnectors 126 (see FIGS. 9 and 10).

The upright leg members 104 and interior upright frame members 106together with cross frame members 108, 110, 112, 114, 116 and 118 andlongitudinal frame members 120, 122 and 124 form the rigid frame 102 inthe overall shape of a rectangular box, which is generally divided inthe longitudinal middle at connectors 126. Positioned in the front halfof the machine 100 is an injection section, generally designated byreference numeral 130, having an injection assembly generally designatedby reference numeral 131. The rear half of the machine 100 houses atransfer section, generally designated by reference numeral 132, havinga transfer assembly generally designated by reference numeral 133.

Further, the middle or intermediate cross frame members 110 and 116 andintermediate longitudinal frame members 122 are all positioned atapproximately the same vertical height to form a generally rectangularhorizontal frame, generally designated by reference numeral 134, aroundthe apparatus 100 at a convenient height for the apparatus operator,approximately waist high. The bottom cross frame members 108 and 120 areinterconnected by a series of interior longitudinal frame members 136which serve to further rigidify the frame 102 and form a bottom shelf138 for supporting fluid containers 140 and the like which are used inthe machine apparatus. The entire parallel in-line apparatus 100 ismounted on casters or wheels 142 so that it can be moved from place toplace, as desired. A brake or floor lock (not shown) can be provided forthe wheels 142 to hold the apparatus 100 in place during operation.

All of the frame members, including upright leg members 104 and interiorupright members 106, cross frame members 108, 110, 112, 114, 116 and118, longitudinal frame members 120, 122 and 124, and shelf framemembers 136 are preferably made from the same size square stainlesssteel 1.5 inch stock. Further, all connections are by welding so as toeliminate cracks and crevices and openings where particles can collectand bacteria grow. The parallel in-line apparatus 100 and machine frame102 form a completely sealed machine. Because it is a completely sealedmachine, there is no place for dirt, debris or mold to build up. Also,the machine can be easily washed down at the end of the day, or anytimeafter egg injection.

At the left front of the apparatus 100, the upright leg member 104 andinterior upright frame member 110, where joined by upper longitudinalframe member 124, form a support for a control panel, generallydesignated by reference numeral 144. The control panel 144 includesbutton, switches, visual liquid crystal display (LCD) touch-tone panel146 and indicator lights, and is provided in a self-contained waterproofbox 148 mounted between the upright leg 104 and upright interior framemember 106 on upper frame member 124. The control panel 144 alsoincludes a micro-modular PCL DL 205 controller or similar type computerwhich is readily programmable.

Running through the frame 102 from front to back and mounted slightlyabove the horizontal frame 106 are a pair of side-by-side parallelgenerally horizontal tracks, an incubator tray or egg flat trackgenerally designated by reference numeral 150, herein sometimes referredto as the right side track (facing the front of the machine), and ahatching tray track generally designated by reference numeral 152, orthe left side track (facing the front of the machine). Each horizontaltrack is defined by a pair of horizontal guide rails, an inside guiderail 154 and an outside guide rail 156. The guide rails 154 and 156 arepreferably discontinuous as at 159 (see FIGS. 5, 6 and 7) adjacent crossframe members 116 so that the transfer section 132 of the machine canreadily be separated from the injection section 130 of the machine.

The inside guide rails 154 for each track 150 and 152 are rigidlymounted in back-to-back relation approximately down the longitudinalmiddle of the machine 100, front to back, on a center guide, generallydesignated by reference numeral 158. Preferably, the center guide 158 isa U-shaped rail with laterally extending flanges. The legs of theU-shaped rail form the vertical section of the guide rails 154, theflanges form the horizontal section, and the yoke of the U-shape definesthe top of center guide 158 (see FIG. 6). The center guide 158 is alsosplit at 160 (see FIG. 5) adjacent the middle of the machine in the samearea 159 of the guide rails 154 and 156. The outside guide rails 156 aresupported above the horizontal frame by a series of upstanding boxes 162which are mounted on top of the longitudinal frame members 122.

The outside guide rails 156 of the incubating tray, or right side, track150 are also individually movable laterally by a pair of shorthorizontally moving pneumatic cylinders 164 at the injection section 130and a second pair of short horizontally moving pneumatic cylinders 166at the transfer section 132. The cylinders 164 and 166 are supportedwithin the boxes 162, as described in more detail further on in thisdescription.

A receiving guide, generally designated by reference numeral 170, ismounted on the front end of the apparatus 100 in front of cross framemember 110 to define the front end of the tracks 150 and 152.Preferably, the receiving plate 170 is designed with two parallelreceiving slots 172 and 174 defined by raised end portions 176 and araised center portion 178 (see FIG. 7). The receiving slots 172 and 174are horizontally aligned with the guide rails 154 and 156 of theincubating tray track 150 and hatching tray track 152, respectively. Thereceiving slot 172 and incubating tray track 150 receive a conventionalincubating tray or egg flat carrier 168 used in commercial hatcheries.The receiving slot 174 and hatching tray track 152 receive aconventional hatching tray 169, as used in commercial hatcheries.

The receiving guide 170 is preferably made of high density polypropyleneor other suitable material to provide a smooth, low friction surface forthe receiving slots 172 and 174 to facilitate the placement of theincubating tray and hatching tray on their respective right side andleft side tracks 150 and 152, respectively. The horizontal portion ofthe guide rails 154 and 156 are preferably covered with a high densitypolypropylene strip (or other suitable material) to also provide a lowfriction surface for movement of the respective incubating and hatchingtrays thereon.

As defined previously, the incubating tray 168 can be made up of one tofour, or more, commercial incubating trays, depending upon themanufacturer. FIGS. 13A and 13B show a “La Nationale”® incubating tray168, having handles 180. The illustrated incubating tray 168 includes aplurality of rows of apertures 182. Each aperture or egg holdingdepression 182 is configured to receive one end of a respective egg soas to support the respective egg in a substantially vertical positionwith the large end facing up. The incubating tray 168 carriesapproximately one hundred and thirty-two eggs in a staggered array of 22rows with six eggs each. The tray 168 comes right from the incubatormachine with the eggs already positioned and is directly loaded on theright side receiving slot 172.

Of course, the incubating tray used in accordance with the presentinvention may contain any number of rows containing any number of eggs.Furthermore, eggs in adjacent rows may be parallel to one another as ina rectangular tray, or may be in a staggered relationship, as in anoffset tray. It is also contemplated in accordance with the presentinvention that the incubating tray 168 can be any special design.Depending on the type of incubating tray 168 to be used in the machine100, the injection assembly 131 and transfer assembly 133, as describedhereinafter, are then appropriately configured so that the depressions182 of the incubating tray align with the operating components of eachof the assemblies 131 and 133.

While an incubating tray 168, carrying eggs to be injected, is placed onthe right side track 150, an open hatching or receiving tray 170, shownFIGS. 13A and 13B, is placed into the receiving slot 174 and onto theleft side track 152. Once the eggs are injected in the injection section130 and the incubating tray 168 moved down track 150 to the transfersection 132, the hatching tray 169 is also moved down its track 152 tothe transfer section 132. The injected eggs are then transferred fromthe incubating tray 168 to the hatching tray 169. The hatching tray 169is open and without individual places to hold the eggs. Transferring theeggs to the open hatching tray 169 is common practice because thehatched chicks would get hurt if the eggs remained in the tray 168 afterhatching.

Returning to FIGS. 1-10, the injection assembly 131 and transferassembly 133 are suspended in series within the machine frame 102. Theinjection assembly 131 is suspended from a rigid longitudinal platformor bridge 184, which is supported on top of the upper cross framemembers 112 and 118. A pair of pneumatic cylinders 186 mounted in tandemon the bridge 184 move the injection assembly 131 up and down. Thetransfer assembly 133 is suspended from a longitudinal platform orbridge 188, which is movable transversely across the machine 102 in thetransfer section 130. Each end of the bridge 188 is mounted on a sliderail 190 for lateral sliding movement transversely across the machine100. The slide rails 190 rest on angle irons 192 which are welded to aninside surface of the two interior upright frame members 106 and twoupright leg members 104, respectively, of the transfer section 132 at anappropriate location spaced above the tracks 150 and 152 and below thetop frame members 112, 118 and 124 (see FIGS. 1 and 6). A second pair ofpneumatic cylinders 194 are also mounted in tandem on the movable bridge188 to move the transfer assembly 133 up and down. A fifth, rodlesspneumatic cylinder 196, preferably mounted inside upper cross framemember 118 of the transfer section 132 is connected to one end of bridge188 by stud 198, which moves the bridge 188 carrying the transferassembly 133 horizontally back and forth laterally across the transfersection 132.

The injection assembly 131 includes a vertically movable injectorsupport and holding plate 200 having a series of openings 202 whichalign with the eggs in the incubating tray 168 when the tray is properlyaligned on track 150 for egg injection. The plate 200 is connected alongits side edges to the ends of a pair of U-shaped supports 210 which arein turn connected at their yoke to the outer end of the piston rods ofcylinders 186. Positioned in the openings 200 are a series of verticallymovable injectors, generally designated by reference numeral 204. Eachof the injectors 204 houses a reciprocating needle assembly 206 carryingan injection needle 208 for supplying a fluid substance to the interiorof the eggs (see FIG. 24). The number and location of the injectors 204correspond in number and location to the aperture or egg-holdingdepressions 182 in a full incubating tray 168 so that all of the eggsfor any hatching tray can be injected at one time.

Since the design of incubating trays 168 may vary, it is understood thatany number of injectors 204 may be provided in the injection assembly131 so long as the injectors 204 are arranged to correspond to thelocations of the egg-holding depressions 182 in the particularincubating tray 168, to be used in the machine 100. In accordance withthe present invention, the injection assembly 131 should be designed sothat all of the eggs in the incubating tray to be used on the machineare injected at one time. For example, some one-piece incubating trayshold as many as one hundred sixty-eight eggs. When injecting such alarge number of eggs in this type of incubating tray, the injectionassembly 131 should preferably hold one hundred and sixty-eightinjectors 204 thus requiring only one injection sequence tosimultaneously inject all of the eggs in the tray at one time.

When an injection cycle is initiated, the plate 200 of the injectionassembly 131 moves from its “home” position underneath the supportplatform or bridge 184 and rapidly traverses downwardly to a positiondirectly over the incubating tray 168. Meanwhile, the injectors 204 arefree to move vertically upwardly in their respective openings 202. Asthe support plate 200 approaches its most downward position, eachinjector 204 is positioned directly above one of the eggs in the tray168 and an elastomeric contact or stabilizing nipple 230 (see FIGS. 23and 24) on the bottom or lower end of each injector 204 engages the topof its respective egg. Once contact is made, the injector 204 is free tomove vertically upward in its respective hole 202. Hence, the injectors204 are able to adjust independently for variations in height and tiltof each egg in the incubating tray. Once the plate 200 is in its fulldown position with all contact or stabilizing nipples 230 in contactwith their respective eggs, a gripper ring 212 in each hole 202 ispneumatically expanded to grip and hold the injectors 204 rigidly inplate 200 with the contact nipples 230 seated on the egg shell surface.The needle assemblies 206 are then actuated to extend needles 208 apredetermined distance with sufficient velocity to penetrate the eggshell. The needles 208 continue through the opening in the egg shells toan injecting position. Fluid is delivered to each egg via one of theneedles 208. Since all of the injectors 204 are the same and the nipple230 of each is in surface contact with the egg, each egg is injected tothe same depth. Following fluid delivery, the needle assemblies 206carrying needles 208 are retracted, and injectors 204 are then picked upduring upward movement of the support plate as it returns along with theinjectors 204 back to the up, or “home,” position above the eggs in thetray 168.

Fluid substances to be injected, such as vaccines, are ordinarilyprovided in a closed, sterile plastic bag having ports (not shown),similar to an IV bag. The delivery bag is suspended from a verticalsupport hanger 214, preferably mounted on the platform 184 directlyabove the injectors 204. Fluid delivery from the fluid delivery bag tothe needles 208 is accomplished via a unique vaccine delivery assembly,generally designated by reference numeral 240, which is mounted insidethe U-shaped supports 210. There are preferably two vaccine deliveryassemblies, one on each side for the one-half of the injectors on itsside.

As the vaccine is dispensed from the fluid delivery bag to the vaccinedelivery assemblies, the machine monitors the quantity of vaccineremaining in the bag by a unique vaccine volume monitoring system. Thismonitoring system consists of a waterproof load-cell 216 located at thetop of the vaccine bag support hanger 214. The vaccine bag hangsdirectly from the load-cell and it continuously monitors the weight ofthe vaccine bag. The load cell is connected to the central computer ofthe machine in control panel 146 and sends a continuous signal, whichthe computer analyzes. It compares the reducing weight of vaccine in thebag to the programmed dosage and provides the operator with real timeinformation, such as quantity of vaccine left, quantity of doses leftper single units or quantity of trays that can receive dosage from theremaining vaccine. The machine also measures the length of time each newvaccine bag has been in operation on the machine. It has been found thatdelays in delivering the vaccine from the delivery bag to the injectorscan be detrimental to the quality of the vaccine remaining in the bag.Thus, the machine alerts the operator when time is approaching toreplace the vaccine delivery bag. Further, after each tray has beeninjected the computer calculates the total vaccine used and comparesthat information to the size dosage multiplied by the quantity of eggsper tray. If there is a discrepancy, the computer immediately alerts theoperator with a message on the touch-tone monitoring screen 146.

In one embodiment, the vaccine delivery assembly 240 includes aheart-type valve pump, generally designated by reference numeral 242(see FIG. 25), which is connected directly to one end of a fluiddistribution manifold, generally designated by reference numeral 260,made up of individual manifold modules, generally designated byreference numeral 262. The valve pump 242 and manifold 260 are supportedabove the injectors 204 inside the U-shaped supports 210 by any suitableattachment. A flexible delivery tubing conveys the vaccine the shortdistance from the plastic delivery bag to the inlet connection 264 ofthe valve pump 240, and from the outlets 266 of the manifold modules 262to the injection needles 208 of the injectors 204.

The routing and number of flexible delivery tubes or tubing are notshown in the drawing figures to avoid unnecessary complication. The tubelengths are as short as possible and as direct as possible and withoutany T-connections so as to minimize friction, turbulence and machineresidence time for the vaccine. The routing and number of tubing areapparent from this description. All fluid delivery tubes between commonpoints are substantially the same length so that there is no variationin internal fluid pressure. Therefore, fluid is equally distributed toeach individual injector 204 at substantially the same time. This allowsfor consistent delivery of the proper dosage of fluid to the injectedeggs.

As previously described, a full incubating tray 168 is loaded or placedonto the incubating or right side track 150 of the apparatus 100, and anempty hatching tray 169 is placed on the hatching tray or left sidetrack 152. There are a plurality of sensors positioned along the track150 on the rigid guide rail 154 to detect the location of the incubatingtray 168. In the preferred embodiment, there are four fiber opticsensors 268, 269, 271 and 273 along the track 150. The sensors arepositioned to detect and locate the position of the front and back ofthe tray 168 in the injection section 130 and in the transfer section132. Initially, a retractable stop 270 in the rigid rail 154 of theright side track 150 extends outwardly at the front of the inside guiderail 154 adjacent receiving slot 172 (see FIG. 11). The stop 270prohibits the placing of the next incubating tray onto the guide rails154, 156 until the previous tray 168 has moved to the transfer section132.

The center guide 158 rigidly supports or forms the inside rails 154 foreach of the right and left side tracks. The outside rails 156 of theincubating tray or right side track 150 are independently movablelaterally in each of the injecting section 130 and the transfer section132 to clamp the egg incubating tray 168 against the fixed inside rails154 on the center guide 158. The outside rails 156 are moved laterallyby the pair of pneumatic side cylinders 164 in the support boxes 162 inthe injection section 130 and another pair of pneumatic side cylinders166 in support boxes 162 in the transfer section 132. In order toposition the incubator tray 168 in proper longitudinal position on theright side track 150, in each the injector section 130 and the transfersection 132, the center guide includes two retractable pneumatic stops292 and 294, respectively, at the back of each section. When extended,the stops prevent further movement of the incubator tray 168 on thetrack 150 so that it is properly positioned longitudinally for theinjecting or transfer operation. The outside rail 156 is then movedlaterally to clamp the tray 168 in proper lateral alignment against thefixed inside rail 154.

Each of the tracks 150 and 152 includes a tray positioning or pusherassembly, generally designated by reference numeral 280 (see FIG. 7),which is located centrally below each track and extends longitudinallyfrom the front of the frame structure 102 adjacent the receiving guide170, through the injection section 130 and into the beginning of thetransfer section 132. The tray positioning assemblies 280 push thefilled incubating tray 168 and hatching tray 169 through the injectionsection and into the transfer section along their respective right sidetrack 150 and left side track 152, respectively. Each tray positioningassembly 280 includes a rodless pneumatic cylinder 282 housed within aU-shaped cover 284 and a U-shaped carrier 285 which straddles underneaththe cover 284 and is moved by the pneumatic cylinder 282 (see FIG. 14).A plate 286 is pivotally attached to the carrier 285 with bolts 288 andincludes a counterweight component 290 which biases the plate 286 in theup or angled position as shown in FIG. 15. When a tray is placed on topof the plate 286, it pivots to a flat horizontal position, generallyparallel to the top wall of cover 284 and below the horizontal planedefined by the track rails 154 and 156.

The pneumatic cylinder 282, carrier 285 and plate 286 start at the“home” position at the front of the frame 102 adjacent the receivingguide 170 in their traveling position. With the injection assembly 131at its “home” position, and the previous tray 168 pushed to the transfersection 132, the stop 270 retracts and stop 292 at the back of theinjection section extends out. When the next filled tray 168 is placedon the right side track 150 and moved past the plate 286 by theoperator, the plate 286 moves into its pushing position. The leadingedge 294 of the plate 286 moves forward to abut the tray 168, and theplate 286 pushes the tray 168 to its proper longitudinal location in theinjection section 130 against pneumatic stop 292. The pneumaticcylinders 164 are actuated to move the injection section outside guiderail 156 laterally towards the opposed inside guide rail 154, to thusclamp the incubating tray 168 in position in the injection section 130.

When the egg injection sequence is completed, the cylinders 164 areagain actuated to move the injection section outside guide rail 156laterally outwardly away from the inside guide rails 154 to therebyrelease the incubating tray 168. The pneumatic stop 292 retracts and thepusher assembly 280 pushes the tray 168 into position in the transfersection 132 against pneumatic stop 294 at the end of the transfersection. The sensors 271 and 273 in the rigid rail 154 of the right sidetract (see FIG. 11) detect the movement and the positioning of the tray168 in the transfer section 132. Once positioned longitudinally in thetransfer section 132, pneumatic cylinders 166 are actuated to laterallymove the transfer section outside guide rail 156 inwardly towards theinside guide rail 154 to clamp the incubating tray 168 in position inthe transfer section 132.

Upon completion of the removal of the eggs from the incubating tray 168by the transfer assembly 132, the pneumatic cylinders 166 are againactuated to move the transfer section outside guide rail 156 outwardlyaway from the inside guide rail 154 and thereby release the incubatingtray 168, and stop 294 is retracted for removal of the empty tray 168from the back end of the machine 100. The outside guide rails 156 of thehatching tray, or left side, track 152 are typically not movable inaccordance with the present invention inasmuch as it is not necessary toclamp the hatching tray 169 in a lateral direction in either theinjection section 130 or the transfer section 132. However, the hatchingtray track includes a sensor 293 and a retractable stop 294 at the backend of the injection section 130 to sense the position of the hatchingtray 169 and prevent its movement into the transfer section 132 untilthe preceding hatching tray has been removed from the back end of themachine. The hatching tray track 152 also includes front and backsensors 295 and 297, respectively, and stop 299 which sense and stop theposition of the hatching tray 169 in proper position in the transfersection 132 for receiving the transferred eggs. Once the transfersequence is complete, the pneumatic cylinder 282 moves the plate 286back to its home position at the front of the frame 102.

The tray positioning assembly 280 associated with the incubating tray orright side track 150 also includes a sanitization assembly, generallydesignated by reference numeral 300, as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15. Thesanitization assembly 300 is mounted to the carrier 285 and travels withthe carrier 285 and plate 286 by operation of the pneumatic cylinder282. Thus, when the injector assembly 131 is in its up “home” positionunderneath bridge or platform 184, the sanitation assembly 300 travelsdirectly underneath the injection assembly 131, and the injectors 204supported thereon, as the carrier 285 and plate 286 travel through theinjecting section 130. The sanitization assembly 300 includes at leastone pair of upwardly directing spray nozzles 302, 304 attached one oneach side of the carrier 285 and spaced slightly below the upper surfaceof the plate 286. Sanitizing fluid supply pipes 306, 308 are threadedinto the side of each nozzle. The end of the pipes connect to asanitizing fluid supply tube leading from the appropriate supplycontainers 140 supported on bottom shelf 138. The sanitizing fluids inthe containers 140 are under pneumatic pressure which forces theappropriate fluid out of the nozzles 302, 304 when the controller orcomputer opens the applicable valve(s). The tray positioning assembly280 associated with the hatching tray or left side track 152 preferablydoes not include a sanitization assembly 300.

Positioned below tracks 150 and 152 underneath each of the injectionsection 130 and the transfer section 132 are drain pans 310 and 312,respectively. The drain pans 310 and 312 slope toward their center to adrain opening 314 to which is connected a suitable drain hose 316 whichconnects to a floor drain (not shown) or to a spent fluids container140, which can also be supported on bottom shelf 138. The drain pans 310and 312 extend for substantially the entire length and width underneatheach of the injection section 130 and transfer section 132,respectively. They thus serve to catch any broken or exploded eggs ordebris generated in either section. The drain pans have upstandingvertical sides which can be press fitted inside of middle cross framemembers 110 and 116 and middle longitudinal frame members 122 aroundeach side of the horizontal frame 134. Preferably, the vertical sides ofdrain pans 310 and 312 are connected to the horizontal frame members atan inwardly spaced distance of about one inch for cleaning andsanitization purposes. The drain pan 310 also catches the spentsanitization fluids after each sanitization cycle and directs the fluidsaway from the working sections of the machine.

Sanitization of the needles and the head of the injectors is performedafter each injection to minimize cross-contamination of the eggs. Spraysanitization is initiated after injection and when the tray positioningassembly 280 begins its travel to push the incubating tray 168 withinjected eggs from its position in the injection section 130 to itsposition in the transfer section 132. The injectors 204, raised afterinjection, are sequentially surrounded by the spray as the plate 286pushes the incubating tray 168 and the spray nozzles 302, 304 move downthe right side track 150. The needles 208 are extended out of theinjectors 204, and the sanitizing fluid is sprayed in a V-shaped spray,from each of the nozzles 302, 304, which sprays overlap to providecomplete coverage of the injectors 204 and the underneath side ofsupport plate 200. As the tray positioning assembly 280 moves theincubating tray 168 down the track 150, the sanitizing spray continuesuntil the incubating tray reaches its position in the transfer section132. At this point, the pneumatic cylinder 282 has reached the end ofits stroke triggering a magnetic sensor inside cover 284. At the sametime, the tray 168 reaches the back fiber optic sensor 273 and the backstop 294 in the transfer section. The spraying stops, the needles 208retract into the injectors 204 and the pneumatic cylinder 282 returnsthe tray positioning assembly 280, including the carrier 285 and plate286, to its home position. The stoppage of spray occurs before theinjection assembly 131 is allowed to commence another injection cycle.

The tray positioning assembly 280 for the hatching tray 169, or leftside track 152, operates in the same manner and with the companioncarrier 285 and pusher plate 286 (but without a sanitization assembly300). Hence, the incubating tray 168 and hatching tray 169 can beautomatically moved from the injection section 130 into position in thetransfer section 132.

A hand held sprayer and hose assembly 320 is provided as an integralcomponent of the machine in order to wash down broken or exploded eggcomponents off the machine and into either of the drain pans 310 and312. The assembly 320 is preferably of conventional construction and isconnected by hose 322 to a water supply container 140, such as shown inFIG. 4.

After the sanitization has been completed, the machine is ready foranother injection sequence. Another incubator tray 168 with a new set ofeggs have, by this time, been placed into the injection track 150 overreceiving slot 172 by the operator, and the injection sequence isrepeated.

The machine of the present invention is equipped and programmed with anappropriate cleaning cycle. The cleaning cycle is an integral componentof the apparatus and method carried out by the machine 100 and istypically conducted pre-operation in the morning and post-operation inthe evening. The cleaning cycle operation is displayed on the videocontrol panel 146 as the cycle is in progress and preferably usesdifferent colors to differentiate the different solutions used in thecleaning cycle, including standard sanitizer solution, standard cleaningsolution, alcohol and water. One or more containers 140 contain each ofthese four solutions which are connected to a separate cleaning supplyhose (not shown). The solutions in the containers 140 are underpneumatic pressure which delivers the appropriate fluid during thecleaning cycle to the vaccine circuit when the appropriate valve isopened. In order to perform the cleaning cycle, the operator merelyremoves the tubing from the vaccine delivery bag which supplies thevaccine to the vaccine delivery assembly 240 and assembles the separatecleaning supply hose thereto. The machine 100 is then ready to commencethe cleaning cycle by delivering the respective cleaning and othersolutions sequentially to the vaccine delivery assembly 240 and, thence,to all the subsequent components connected thereto.

Each of the sub-assemblies of the apparatus of the present inventionwill now be described in more detail below. Preferably, a source ofpressurized gas is used to drive the apparatus of the present invention.The pressurized gas is air. The movement and operation of the injectionassembly 131, the transfer assembly 133, the injectors 204 and needleassemblies 206, and the tray positioning assembly 140, as well as theother assemblies and components to be described hereinafter, are allcarried out pneumatically. As seen in FIGS. 1-10, electrical andpneumatic enclosures are mounted on the bridges 184 and 188 for housingthe pneumatic cylinders 186 and 194 which move the injection assembly131 and transfer assembly 133, respectively, up and down. A pair ofcylinders generally aligned with the longitudinal axis of the machineare preferably used to properly guide each assembly in its down and upstrokes. Air is supplied at an air supply inlet mounted adjacent theexterior of the pneumatic enclosure. The air supply inlet is connectedto the source of pressurized air (not shown), such as instrument air, anair compressor or the like. From the air supply inlet, the pressurizedinlet air preferably passes through a series of air filters (not shown)where the inlet air is filtered and most of the moisture and oil contentremoved. The clean dry air then flows through an air pressure regulator(not shown) for controlling the operating pressure of the overallmachine 100. The inlet air supply pressure is preferably from about 100psi to about 120 psi. The inlet air supply pressure may be monitored byan air pressure switch (not shown) and visually indicated on an airpressure gauge (not shown). All of these components are conventional andknown to those skilled in pneumatics.

The air or pneumatic cylinders referred to herein, and their connectionto the parts they move, are generally conventional in nature and willnot be described in detail other than to point out that the appropriatearrangements can be made without undue experimentation in building oroperating the machine. It is understood that other devices, such assolenoids, could be used in the present invention, but double-actingpneumatic cylinders are preferable since egg injection machines aretypically washed down after each use.

The parallel in line machine 100 of the present invention is controlledby an onboard computer or central programmable logic controller (PLC)which is mounted in the waterproof control panel 144. The programming ofthe operations of the machine 100 are easily accomplished from thelogical operation of the machine 100 as described herein. The PLC ispreferably a Direct Logic 205 controller and controls the normaloperation of the unit. The operation of the pneumatic cylinders,pneumatic control valves, operator interface, LCD, retractable stops,indicator lights buttons and switches are all controlled by the PLC.Sensors for air pressure and fluid levels may also be provided. Thefiber optic sensors 268, 269, 271, 273, 293, 295 and 297 are selectivelymounted at various points and signal the position of the movingincubating tray 168 and hatching tray 169 on their respective tracks 150and 152 to the PLC for the various machine functions.

Turning now to FIG. 16, there is shown a plan view of the underneathside of the injector support plate 200. The support plate 200 is made upof two rectangular mating half-plates, an upper half-plate 330 and alower half-plate 332. The half-plates 330 and 332 are secured to oneanother at specific intervals through plate connectors (not shown) inholes 334, preferably spaced around the periphery of the plate 200. Thesupport plate is connected to the pair of pneumatic cylinders 186through the two upstanding U-brackets 210. A plurality of equally spacedpairs of bracket connectors (not shown) secure the support plate to thelegs of the U-brackets 210 through holes 336. The piston rod of eachpneumatic cylinder is connected at its outer end to the yoke of theU-bracket 210. As shown, the support plate 200 is rectangularly shapedand includes a plurality of holes 202. The holes 202 receive theinjectors 204 of the injection assembly 131 and are properly spaced incolumns and rows to match the eggs in the incubating tray 168. Since thetray 168 of one poultry processor may differ from the trays of anotherprocessor, the number and configuration of the holes 202 in the plate200 are specially designed to match the incubating tray or plurality oftrays corresponding to the hatching tray of a specific processor whoseeggs are to be injected on the machine 100. The trays 168 of poultryprocessors are also typically of an unique color to identify aparticular processor. Hence, the fiber optic sensors 268, 269, 271 and273 are preferably capable of distinguishing different levels ofilluminosity so that the machine 100 will not function if the sensorsread an illuminosity different than that of the incubating tray forwhich the pattern of holes 202 is specially configured.

The inside (top) surface of the bottom half-plate 332 is shown in FIG.18. Each hole 202 in the bottom half-plate 332 is surrounded by a groove337 which is machined into the inner surface of the bottom half-plate.The upper half-plate 330 also has a plurality of injector holes 202which match and align with the plurality of holes 202 in the bottomhalf-plate 332. Similar to the grooves 337 of the bottom half-plate 332,the injector holes 202 of the upper half-plate 330 have a similar groove338 machined around each hole 202. Sandwiched between the upper andbottom half plates 330 and 332 and positioned in the respective grooves338 and 337 are the gripper rings 212 as shown in FIGS. 18 and 19.

Also machined into the bottom (inner) surface of the upper half-plate330 is an air flow path 340. The air flow path 340 interconnects to allof the openings 202 and to a pair of air inlets 342 on the upperhalf-plate 330. Between the plurality of plate connectors 334 and theouter edge of the air flow path 340 is an air seal 344. Preferably,there is no air path 340 machined into the inside (top) surface of thebottom half-plate 302. While machining the air flow path 340 into theinner (bottom) surface of the upper half-plate 330 is preferred, itcould be machined into the inside (top) surface of the bottom half-plate332, or machined into both facing inner surfaces, if desired.

The gripper ring 212 is made of rubber or other suitable elastomericmaterial and includes a top ring seal 346, a bottom ring seal 348, and acenter gripping cylinder 350 connecting the top and bottom ring seals.The ring seals 346 and 348 seat snugly in the respective grooves 338 and337 of the upper half-plate 300 and corresponding bottom half-plate 302so that the gripping cylinder 350 forms the inner wall of each opening202. The inside diameter of gripping cylinders 350 is slightly largerthan the outer diameter of the injectors 204 to provide clearance sothat the injectors 204 are free to move vertically in each hole 202 whenthe gripper rings 212 are in their relaxed condition. When pneumaticpressure is applied to the air flow path 340 through air inlet 342, theair pressure is communicated to each of the gripper rings 212, causingthe gripping cylinders 350 to expand out into the holes 202 and pressagainst the outside wall of injectors 204 to hold each individualinjector 204 firmly in its vertically assumed position.

Turning next to FIGS. 20 and 20A, 21 and 21A and 22 and 22A, there areshown different embodiments for the inlet end of the needle 208 in orderto reduce turbulence and friction imparted to the vaccine in accordancewith the present invention. In FIG. 21, the upper end, generallydesignated by reference numeral 360, of the needle 208 is bonded throughthe center of a male hub fitting 362, preferably made of stainlesssteel. The upper end 360 of the needle connects to an appropriate fluiddelivery tubing 364 so that fluid can be delivered to the top of theneedle and then to the egg. The fitting 362 includes a barbed flange orother enlargement 366 for attaching to the injection needle assembly206, as described hereinafter. The needle tip 368 is beveled. Thebeveled tip 368 is desirable since this type of needle will tend toshear a hole in the egg starting at the very point of the tip. After theinitial break-through, the needle tip shears the remainder of a roundhole, often creating a flap of shell at the hole.

The needle 208 is sufficiently large that the needle can penetratethousands of egg shells without bending, yet is thin enough to metervery small amounts of fluid in a precise manner. The needle for themachine of the present invention has a larger diameter and a shorterlength than in other known commercial in ovo injection machines and candeliver the vaccine through a straight needle opening without clogging.Thus, the needle 208 overcomes the problems of known machines andimparts less friction and turbulence to the vaccine. The shorter needlelength is possible as a result of the simpler design and fully pneumaticoperation of the injectors 204, as described hereafter, which allows fora shorter injector body. Needle length less than 6 inches and on theorder of about five and one-half inches is possible in the machine ofthe present invention. This compares with needles as long as 7½ and 8½inches on known commercial machines.

Preferably, the needle size used in the present invention is from about16 gauge to about 22 gauge. A needle thicker than about 16 gauge couldcreate cracks in the egg shell, and a needle thinner than about 22 gaugeis ordinarily too thin to repetitively penetrate an egg shell withoutbending. A needle which is about 17 gauge (0.059 inches in outerdiameter) is most preferred. At the preferred needle thickness, thepreferred bevel angle is from about 20 degrees to about 45 degrees fromthe horizontal. At angles less than about 20 degrees, the contact areabetween needle tip and the surface of the egg shell become large, thusrequiring more force to break through the shell and possible cracking ofthe shells. Bevel angles greater than about 45 degrees requireunnecessary needle length. The most preferred bevel angle is about 30degrees.

The needle is preferably stainless steel and the outside of the tip ofthe needle may be titanium-plated partially along its length. Thisallows the same needle to be used for a larger number of injectionswithout loss of sharpness or damage, usually evidenced by burrs on theleading edge of the needle tip. Alternatively, a pencil-point needle maybe used.

As shown in FIGS. 20 and 20A, the top end 360 of the needle 208 differsfrom the straight needle inlet of conventional needles. Instead, the topend 360 has an open mouth or funnel shaped tip to minimize damage to thewall or membrane of the vaccine cells, in accordance with the teachingof our copending application, U.S. Ser. No. 09/835,482, filed Apr. 17,2001. The funnel shaped tip 370 is made of the same material as theremainder of the needle 208 and can be formed thereon in anyconventional manner, such as by conventional mechanical and/or hydraulicequipment. The open mouth top end 370 of the needle 208 shown in FIGS.20 and 20A is in the form of a funnel shape having an inlet angle 372.The top end of the barb fitting 362 is also funnel shaped to be flush tothe outside surface of the funnel mouth 370. The barbed flange orenlargement 366 of the hub fitting 362 may have a clip mechanism forattaching the needle 208 to the injection needle assembly 206.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 21 and 21A, the inlet end 360′ has agradual curved shape to form the funnel shape mouth 3701, and the topend of the male hub fitting 362′ extends all the way to the top of theneedle inlet. The embodiment of the needle inlet top end 360″ shown inFIGS. 22 and 22A also has a funnel configuration having a gradual curvedshape to form the funnel shaped mouth 370″. In this embodiment, however,the end 360″ is formed to have an outwardly extending flange or lip 372″around the mouth 370″. The barb fitting can be eliminated in thisembodiment because the flange 372″ can form the enlargement forattaching the needle 208″ to the injection needle assembly 206.

For the sake of clarity, one injector 204 positioned in its respectiveopening 202 of the injector support plate 200 is shown in FIGS. 23 and24 with the injection needle 208 in its retracted position in FIG. 23and in an extended position in FIG. 24. The injection assembly 131includes numerous vertically movable injectors 204, one for each egg,such as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5. Each injector 204 includes a cylindricalbody or housing 374 made up of a cylindrical lower body portion 376 anda cylindrical upper body portion 378 which are connected preferably bythreads 380. When assembled, the cylindrical body 374 defines an airchamber 382 with an air up port 384 at the lower end and air down port386 at its upper end on either side of an actuating piston 388, as willbe described below. The air ports 384 and 386 are connected to verticalair channels 401 and 402, respectively, through upper body portion 378to air hose connectors 403 and 405 mounted on top of the injector body374.

The gripper ring 212 is mounted in the support plate 200 such that thelower body portion 376 of the cylindrical body 374 is free to movevertically within the plate opening 202. The upper body portion 378 hasa larger diameter than the lower body portion 376 so as to define aledge 390 when the portions 376 and 378 are assembled. When the injector204 is resting freely in opening 202, such as when the injector is notin contact with an egg, the ledge 390 rests on the top surface 392 ofthe support plate 200 around opening 202.

Each injector 204 includes an injection needle assembly 206 which isvertically movable within the cylindrical body 374. The injection needleassembly 206 includes the injection needle 208 which is surrounded alonga major portion of its length by a needle guide sleeve 394 and thepiston 388 which is mounted on the sleeve 394 and captured in positionby upper and lower retaining rings 396. The outer periphery of piston388 includes a conventional ring seal 398 which seals the piston 388against the inner cylindrical wall of air chamber 382. A secondconventional ring seal 409 is fitted in an appropriate recess to sealthe inside of piston 388 against the outside wall of guide sleeve 394.

The upper end of chamber 382 is sealed by another conventional ring seal400 captured in the upper end of cylindrical upper body portion 378which seals against the outer cylindrical surface of needle guide sleeve394. The lower end of chamber 382 is sealed by a fourth conventionalring seal 404 captured in the top end of cylindrical lower body portion376 which also seals against the sleeve outer surface. The cylindricallower body portion 376 has a longitudinal cylindrical bore 406 extendingthrough its center which has a diameter only slightly larger than thediameter of needle guide sleeve 394. The cylindrical bore 406 serves toguide the injection needle assembly 206 as it moves up and down withinthe cylindrical body 374. The cylindrical bore 406 terminates toward thelower end of the cylindrical lower body portion 376 to define a reduceddiameter bore 408 sized to receive only the needle 208 therethrough.

The cylindrical body 374 is preferably made from high density plasticmaterial, while the needle guide sleeve 394 and piston 388 arepreferably made of stainless steel. The O-rings 398, 400 and 404 are allconventional and made from standard elastomeric materials. The needle208 is preferably made of stainless steel, with or without a reinforcedtitanium tip at the piercing and injecting end 368.

A stabilizing nipple 230 is sealingly secured to the lowermost end ofthe cylindrical lower body portion 376 by a snap fitting 410 overcylindrical flange 412 of the lower body portion 376. The lower edge 414of the stabilizing nipple 230 is preferably rounded and sized to presenta reduced ring area for contact with the egg. More specifically, thediameter of the circular lower edge 414 is preferably less than ½ inch,and a ⅜ inch outer diameter is most preferred. It has been found thatthis smaller diameter contact surface area results in a proper injectionlocation within the egg irrespective of the size and tilt orientation ofthe egg in the incubating tray 168. The central opening 416 of thenipple 230 through which the needle 208 extends during egg penetrationand injecting also has a small internal seal ring 418 which sealsagainst the outer surface of the needle 208. When the needle 208 islifted to its retracted position, with the needle tip 368 in opening416, the internal seal ring 418 serves to wipe the outer wall surface ofthe needle 308. Hence, the internal seal ring 418 cleans the needle 208during its upstroke both after egg injection and after injectorsanitization. This wiping of the needle 208 after the injectorsanitization causes the sanitizing fluid to be wiped clean from theneedles and to drop into the collecting pan 310 before initiation of thenext injecting cycle, thus eliminating the dripping of sanitizingsolution onto the next group of eggs to be injected. The stabilizingnipple 230 is made from any suitable elastomeric material, and siliconerubber is preferred in view of its inert properties.

The needle guide sleeve 394 has an axial bore 420 for receiving theneedle 208. The male fitting 362 at the upper end 360 of the needle 208is received in a complementary fitting clip 422 at the upper end of theneedle guide sleeve 394 so that the needle 208, sleeve 394 and piston388 all move together. It is understood that a threaded or other typefitting could be used to accomplish this purpose. The axial bore 420 inthe needle guide sleeve 394 is minimally larger than the outsidediameter of the needle 208, thereby providing lateral support to theneedle during penetration of the egg shell. This diameter differentialalso allows removal and replacement of the needle 208 from the top ofthe injector 204.

When the injector support plate 200 is lowered by air cylinders 186 intoposition over the incubating tray 168, two things happen. First, thelower edge contact ring 414 of nipple 230 engages and seats around theuppermost part of the egg. Because the ring 414 presents a reducedsurface contact area, each nipple 230 adjusts to the position of itsrespective egg as the injectors 204 on plate 200 descend, regardless ofthe orientation of the eggs in the tray 168. This allows the nipples 230to make complete contact around their perimeter at the upper end of theeggs. Second, each injector 204 adjusts vertically to the height of theegg by virtue of the free vertical movement of the injector 204 in theopenings 202. Since the injectors 204 can move independently of oneanother, the injectors rise to different heights so that different sizesof eggs can be accommodated within the same tray 168. Further, becausethe design of the conventional incubating tray dictates the center ofrotation for each egg within the egg flat depression, the stabilizingnipple 230 functions to align the egg with respect to the needle 208regardless of the orientation of the egg. Because of this alignment andalong with the simultaneous vertical adjustment of the injector 204, theneedle 208 will always extend substantially to the same location ordesired injecting region within the egg.

When the support plate 200 completes its downward travel, the airpressure through inlets 342 is activated to expand the gripper rings 212against the lower body portion 376 to hold the injectors 204 securely inposition in the holes 202. Thus, once the injectors 204 stop descendingwith the descending plate 200 to accommodate individual egg heights, thegripper rings 212 clamp the injectors 204 in place, preventing theinjectors 204 from lifting off from the eggs. Otherwise, the injectors204 could lift off from the eggs when the needles 208 make contactduring piercing of the egg shells.

Once the injectors 204 are locked in position in plate 200, the needleassembly 206 with the piston 388 is activated by pressurized air fed tothe upper side of chamber 382 through air connector 405, channel 402 andport 386. The air delivery tubes are all as short as possible and fromopposed outlets deliver air to the chambers 382 at opposite ends of eachrow of injectors 204. All of the injectors 204 in the row are connectedin series. This configuration evenly distributes line pressure andenables all the injection needle assemblies 206 to move downwardly withthe needles 208 extending substantially at the same time. As theassemblies 206 move downwardly, the needles 208 extend out of theinjectors 204 a predetermined distance and with sufficient velocity tocause the beveled tip 368 of the needle to shear through the egg shell.The needle 208 continues through the opening in the egg shell to theinjecting location or region. The distance the needle tip 368 moves isdetermined by the stroke length of the piston 388 in the chamber 382.The needle assembly 206 bottoms out and the needle 208 reaches maximumextension, when the lower retaining ring 396 engages the top surface 397of the lower body component 376. As shown in FIG. 24, the needle 208 isclose to its fully extended position. When needle 208 is fully extended,fluid is injected into the egg through the needle tip 368. Afterinjection, air pressure is applied to the underneath side of the piston388 through air inlet connector 403, channel 401 and port 384 to movethe needle assembly 206 upwardly, thus retracting the needle 208 backinto cylindrical bore 406 and needle tip 368 into opening 416. Theupstroke is completed when the upper retaining ring 396 engages the topwall 399 defining chamber 382, as shown in FIG. 23.

While the needle assemblies 206 move up, the gripper rings 212 releaseand the plate 200 begins its move to the “up” position. As the supportplate 200 moves upwardly, its top surface 392 engages ledges 390 of theinjector bodies 374 to lift the injectors 204 upwardly from the injectedeggs. When the support plate 200 reaches its “up” position, a proximitysensor in the pneumatic cylinders 186 senses the return of the plate 200and signals the PLC to move the tray positioning assembly 280 to pushthe incubating tray 168 forward to the area of the transfer section 132and to activate the sanitizing assembly 300.

Next, one vaccine delivery assembly 240 will be described in detail byreference to FIGS. 25-28. This vaccine delivery assembly 240 includes adiaphragm or heart-type pump, generally designated by reference numeral242, for pumping the vaccine to the injection needles 208 and a fluiddistribution manifold, generally designated by reference numeral 260,which is made up of a plurality of individual manifold modules 270.There are preferably two delivery assemblies 240 which are positionedabove the injectors 204, adjacent each longitudinal edge of theinjection assembly 131. Each delivery assembly 240 is supportedunderneath the outer extremities of the yoke of the U-shaped supportmembers 210 (see FIG. 5), and each feeds the half of the injectors 204on its side of the injection assembly 131. Hence, if the injectionassembly 131 includes 132 injectors, each delivery assembly 240simultaneously feeds 66 injectors.

A fluid delivery tube extends downwardly from the bottom of the vaccinedelivery bag to feed the diaphragm or heart-like pumps 242 of thevaccine delivery assemblies 240 through inlet barb fitting 264. In thepreferred configuration, i.e. two vaccine delivery assemblies 240, thefluid delivery tube splits into two feeder lines one to each pump 242.The vaccine is delivered by gravity flow from the vaccine delivery bagby the gravity pressure exerted as a result of the bag height above thepump 242.

Each diaphragm or heart pump 242 is formed by a pair of mating bodymembers 424 and 426 which define a generally cylindrical valve chamber428. Centrally positioned within the valve chamber 428 is a circularflexible membrane 430 which is captured around its periphery 432 betweenthe mating body members 424 and 426. The flexible membrane 430 dividesthe valve chamber 428 into a vaccine chamber 434 and an air pressurechamber 436. Formed in the upper end of body member 424 is a fluid inletopening 438 and formed in the lower portion of body member 424 is afluid outlet opening 440. A floating ball valve 442 is fitted into inletopening 438 and inlet fitting 264 is fitted into the inlet side of theball valve 442. A central air port 444 is formed in body member 426 todeliver air pressure centrally to flexible membrane 430 within the valvechamber 428.

As shown in FIG. 25, the fluid vaccine enters the pump 242 through theinlet fitting 264. With no pressure in air pressure chamber 436, thefloating ball valve 442 permits the vaccine to enter the vaccine chamber434. Once the vaccine chamber 434 is full, the ball valve 442 closes offthe inlet fitting 264. No further fluid enters the chamber 434 and thevalve prevents fluid from escaping out of the inlet 264. At this point,air is forced into the air pressure chamber 436 through port 444. Thisin turn drives the central portion of the membrane 430 into the vaccinechamber (to the left in FIG. 25) and forces the vaccine out through theoutlet port 440 and into the manifold assembly 260 under pressure.

The manifold assembly 260 comprises a plurality of vaccine manifoldmodules 262 shown positioned in side-by-side relation to the pump outlet440 in FIG. 25. Each of the manifold modules 262 supplies one-half ofeach row of injectors 204 in the injection assembly 131. Each module 262is connected to the upper end 360 of its respective needles 208 by wayof split tubing connected to the outlet barb fitting 266 at the lowerend of the module 262. At the other end, the vaccine enters the vaccinedelivery port 446 directly from the pump vaccine outlet 440. When placedin series, the modules 262 making up the manifold assembly 260 form anelongated vaccine delivery port 446 extending from the pump outlet 440to the outermost module 262. The vaccine delivery port 446 is preferablyabout ½ inch in diameter. The port 446 in each module 262 communicateswith a vertical vaccine delivery pathway 448 which extends down throughthe manifold module 262, terminating in the outlet barb fitting 266.

Each manifold module 262 is made up of two body components, a vaccinebody component 450 and an air pressure body component 452 which fitsnugly together to form valve opening 454, as shown in FIG. 26. Thevalve opening 454 is fitted with a conical flexible valve element 456clamped between opposed faces of the vaccine body component 450 and airpressure body component 452 around the valve opening 454 to form thepneumatic valve 457.

The pneumatic valves 457 and the flow of vaccine down the vertical path448 is controlled by air pressure transmitted through an air deliveryport 458 which laterally extends through each air pressure bodycomponent 452. Hence, when the modules 262 are positioned side-by-side,the adjacent air pressure body components 452 are aligned to form theair delivery port 458 extending the full length of the manifold assembly260, in a manner similar to the vaccine delivery port 446. The vaccinebody component 450 includes a frustoconical opening 460 which crossesover the vertical vaccine flow path 448, and the flexible valve element456 sits in the opening 460. The concave side of the valve element 456communicates with the air pressure delivery port 458 through a side port462 extending laterally through the air pressure body component 452.When air pressure is applied to the air delivery port 458, the valveelement 456 is forced against the opening 460, the valve 457 closes, andthe flow of vaccine down the path 448 is prevented.

Holes 464 are drilled laterally through each module 262 for holding thevaccine body component 450 and air pressure body component 452 inposition with respect to each other for each module 262 and forconnecting the modules in series. Rods (not shown) run through theseholes 464 to connect the vaccine manifold modules 262 together and topump 242 and then securely to mount the overall delivery assembly to theU-shaped supports 210.

When installed on the injection assembly 131, the assembled vaccinedelivery assembly 240 is tilted so that the manifold assembly 260, andparticularly the longitudinal vaccine delivery port 446, is tiltedapproximately 1.degree.-2.degree., or more off the horizontal in thedirection of raising the vaccine delivery port 446 of the outermostmodule 262 above the delivery port 446 in the innermost module 262 andthe adjacent outlet port 440 of the diaphragm pump 242. This allows anyair which may build up in the delivery port 446 to migrate to theoutermost module 262, where it can periodically be bled off by theoperator through an appropriate bleed-off valve of conventionalconfiguration (not shown).

In operation, the vaccine delivery port 446 and pathways 448 to thevalves 457 are filled with vaccine. When air is removed from the heartpump air pressure chamber 436 through port 444, flexible pump membrane430 moves to expand the vaccine chamber 434 (to the right in FIG. 25).This expansion causes vaccine to be drawn into the vaccine chamber 434through inlet 264 past floating ball valve 442. When the vaccine chamber434 is filled, the valve 442 closes off the inlet 264. Air pressure intothe air pressure chamber 436 through port 444 causes the flexible pumpmembrane 430 to reduce the vaccine chamber volume and force one fullvaccine dose for all injectors out of the pump outlet 440 into thedelivery port 446 and then into the vertical paths 448 of each module262. The pressure in the vaccine path caused by the movement of the pumpmembrane 430 causes the vaccine to move past the pneumatic valve 457,out the barbed fitting 266 and into each needle 208 for injection intothe respective eggs. The preferred air pressure imparted to the airpressure chamber 436 is about 3 psi to about 5 psi. Once a proper amountof vaccine has been injected, air pressure delivered through port 462causes the valve 456 to close by pressing against the frustoconicalsurface of valve opening 460. The fluid delivery system 240 is thenready to begin its next cycle by reducing the air pressure in the airpressure chamber 436 of the diaphragm pump 242.

An alternate preferred embodiment of the fluid delivery assembly isschematically shown in FIGS. 29 through 33 and is generally designatedby reference numeral 500. The assembly 500 is a high precision vaccinedelivery system and includes a valve distribution manifold, generallydesignated by reference numeral 502. The manifold 502 has a forwardlyextending ledge 504 having a series of vaccine delivery ports 506extending from a lower surface thereof and an upstanding rear section508 which defines an elongated vaccine delivery chamber 510 that extendssubstantially the entire length of the manifold 502. Mounted on theupper side of the forwardly extending ledge 504 is a pneumatic valvereceiving plate 512 which holds a series of pneumatic valve elements 514in position in respective valve chambers 516 defined by the mating lowersurface 513 of the pneumatic valve receiving plate 512 and upper surface505 of the forwardly extending ledge 504 to form a series of pneumaticvalves, generally designated by reference numeral 517. Mounted above thepneumatic valve receiving plate 512 is an elongated high pressure airmanifold 518 which defines an elongated high pressure air chamber 520.The chamber 520 communicates with the upper surface of each of therespective pneumatic valve elements 514 through respective holes 522 inthe pneumatic valve receiving plate 512.

The vaccine delivery chamber 510 communicates with each of the vaccinedelivery ports 506 through a respective vaccine passageway 524 whichflows through manifold valve chamber 516 and past pneumatic valve 517 ineach vaccine passageway 524. Appropriate tubing is attached from each ofthe vaccine delivery ports 506 to the tops of each of the needles 208,there being preferably one delivery port 506 for each needle. Hence, thetwenty vaccine delivery ports 506 shown in FIGS. 29-31, are forillustration purposes only. With two fluid delivery assemblies 500incorporated into a machine designed to inject 132 eggs at one time,each assembly 500 would have 66 delivery ports 506. When the highpressure air chamber 520 is pressurized, the pneumatic valve elements514 are pressed against the frustoconical shaped bottom wall 515 (seeFIG. 32) of the manifold valve chamber 516, which prevents any vaccineflow from the vaccine delivery chamber 510 out of vaccine delivery ports506. The pressurized pressure in the high pressure chamber 520 ispreferably between about 25 psi and about 75 psi and most preferablyabout 50 psi. Further, it will be seen that there are separate valveelements 514 illustrated in FIGS. 30 and 31. As an alternative toindividual valve elements 514, it may be possible to utilize a singleflexible membrane which when assembled between mating surfaces 513 and512 and pressurized by the high pressure air chamber 520, will close offthe pneumatic valves 517.

Mounted behind the back wall 526 of the upstanding rear section 508 is alow pressure air manifold 528 which extends the full length of theupstanding rear section 508. The low pressure air manifold 528 definesan elongated low pressure air chamber 530 which generally aligns withthe elongated vaccine delivery chamber 510 in the upstanding rearsection 508. The front surface 532 of the low pressure air manifold 528includes an elongated opening 534 leading to the low pressure airchamber 530. The back wall or rear surface 526 of the upstanding rearsection 508 includes an elongated opening 536 which corresponds in sizeand shape to the elongated opening 534 in the front of the lowerpressure air manifold 528. Sandwiched between the front surface 532 ofthe low pressure air manifold 528 and the rear surface 526 of theupstanding rear section 508 is an elastomeric diaphragm 538 whichsealingly separates the low pressure air chamber 530 from the vaccinedelivery chamber 510. The front surface 532 of the lower pressure airmanifold 528 includes a projecting upper ledge 540 and a projectinglower ledge 542 along its upper and lower edges to mate with the backwall 526 of the upstanding rear section 508 for attachment theretothrough holes 544 while at the same time sandwiching the elastomericdiaphragm 538 in position between the horizontally adjacent low pressureair chamber 530 and vaccine delivery chamber 510.

When the low pressure air chamber 530 is pressurized, the elastomericdiaphragm 538 is forced toward the vaccine delivery chamber 510. If thevaccine delivery chamber 510 is full of fluid or vaccine, this forcecauses a hydraulic pressure build-up, or head pressure in the vaccinedelivery chamber 510 and vaccine passageways 524. A preferred pressurefor pressurizing the low pressure air chamber 530 is about 1.0 psi toabout 3.5 psi and most preferably about 2.5 psi. Then, if the pressurein the high pressure air chamber 520 (about 25-75 psi) is removed, thepneumatic valve elements 514 can be displaced and the pneumatic valves517 open. A high precision quantity of vaccine is then forced throughthe manifold valve chamber 516 (past valve elements 514) and out throughvaccine delivery ports 506, thus delivering a precise quantity ofvaccine to each of the respective needles 208 for injection into theeggs.

The inlet end of the distribution manifold 502 has an extension 546which includes a vaccine inlet and defines the upper section of avaccine receiving valve, generally designated by reference numeral 548.The lower section 550 of the vaccine receiving valve 548 is attached tothe underneath surface of the extension 546 and sandwiches a pneumaticvalve 552 therebetween. When pneumatic pressure is applied to theunderneath surface of the pneumatic valve 552 through opening 553 inlower section 550, the upper surface of the valve 552 is pressed againstthe mating frustoconical surface inside extension 546 and preventsvaccine or other fluid from flowing through the inlet of the receivingvalve 548 into the vaccine delivery chamber 510.

Mounted on the opposite end of the distribution manifold 502 from thevaccine receiving valve 548 is a vaccine purging valve 554. The vaccinedelivery assembly 500 is tilted at a slight angle from the horizontal sothat the vaccine purging valve 554 is mounted above and in fluidcommunication with the highest elevation of the vaccine delivery chamber510. The vaccine purging valve 554 includes an upper housing 556 whichsandwiches a pneumatic valve 558 in a corresponding opening in the uppersurface of the distribution upstanding rear section 508. The pneumaticvalve 558 is normally pressurized to a closed position with itsfrustoconical lower surface engaging the opposed mating surface in theupstanding rear section 508 by pneumatic pressure fed through thevaccine purging valve upper section 556. When the operator desires topurge any air accumulation in the vaccine delivery chamber 510, whichwill accumulate adjacent the pneumatic valve 558 due to the tilting ofthe manifold 502, the vaccine purging valve 554 is activated to releasepneumatic pressure against the pneumatic valve 558 and allow air andvaccine to exit through purging port 560.

As described previously, the vaccine delivery assembly 500 is preferablytilted approximately 1.degree.-2.degree., or more, off horizontal, withthe vaccine delivery chamber 510 adjacent the vaccine receiving valve548 positioned below the portion of the chamber 510 adjacent the vaccinepurging valve 554. As well, the high precision vaccine delivery assembly500 is mounted in the injection assembly 131 in the same location asvaccine delivery assembly 240, i.e. supported underneath the outerextremities of the yoke portion of the U-shaped supports 210.

In normal operation, the vaccine purging valve 554 is closed. At thebeginning of the injection cycle, all of the pneumatic valves 514 are intheir closed position by pneumatic pressure imposed against their uppersurfaces by air pressure in the high pressure air chamber 520 throughholes 522, thus preventing any flow of vaccine from the vaccine deliverychamber 510 through passages 524 into ports 506. There is no excesspressure in the low pressure chamber 530, thus allowing the elastomericdiaphragm 538 to be positioned in an “at rest” vertical position, asshown in FIG. 35, but there may be residual head pressure in vaccinechamber 510. The vaccine receiving valve 548 is then opened throughpneumatic valve 552 which opens the inlet in extension 546 and allowsvaccine to fill the vaccine delivery chamber by gravity flow from thebag storage container. When the vaccine chamber 510 is full, thereceiving valve 548 is pneumatically operated to a closed position inorder to isolate the vaccine manifold 502 from the external pressureproduced by gravity of the vaccine in the bag storage container. Oncethe injection needles have pierced the egg shells, air pressure isimposed on the low pressure air chamber 530 thus pressurizing theelastomeric diaphragm 538 to increase the head pressure in the vaccinedelivery chamber 510 and manifold 502. No fluid yet flows because thepneumatic valves 517 remain closed due to the high pressure in the airchamber 520. The vaccine delivery valves 517 are then simultaneouslyreleased for a predetermined amount of time which delivers a preciseadjustable volume of vaccine fluid through the valve chambers 516 anddelivery ports 506, through needles 208 and into each respective eggcavity.

It will be seen by those skilled in the art that the high precisionvaccine delivery system 500 in accordance with the present invention isable to create a predetermined hydraulic pressure in the vaccine chamberand manifold in advance of fluid delivery past the pneumatic valves 517.Then, when opening each individual vaccine delivery valve 517 for aspecified amount of time, a precise volume of fluid can be delivered outof each delivery port 506, which volume can be adjusted by changing thelength of time the valve 517 is open. Further, the high precisionvaccine delivery assembly 500 and all of its functions are operatedpneumatically, thus eliminating the pumping of fluids throughconventional fluid handling systems which otherwise cause damagingfriction and turbulence within the fluid. Thus, few live cells aredestroyed in the delivery of vaccine through delivery assembly 500,ensuring that an effective quantity of vaccine titer reaches eachinjected egg.

If desired, the pneumatic delivery valves 517, vaccine receiving valve548 and vaccine purging valve 554 could be operated electronically orelectrically, rather than pneumatically. In such event, individualdelivery valves 517 could be operated independently as determined by thePLC of the machine. Further, even if a single membrane is substitutedfor the multiple valve elements 514, the individual valves 517 couldstill be operated independently.

While the high precision vaccine delivery assembly described herein andillustrated in FIGS. 29-33 was specially designed and developed forinclusion in the injection machine and method of the present invention,the vaccine delivery assembly 500 could be built as a separate unit. Assuch, it could have other applications where high precision fluiddelivery of simultaneous multiple dosages is desired, other than for egginjection machines and the like. For example, the high precision vaccinedelivery system of the present invention could have application inmedical and biotechnology research where specific high precision dosagesare delivered in multiple operations simultaneously at one time.Accordingly, it is contemplated that the high precision vaccine deliverysystem of the present invention be adapted as an independent apparatusfor usages outside egg injecting machines.

As described previously, the apparatus and method of the presentinvention further includes transfer section 132 for transferring theeggs following injection from the incubating tray 168 into the hatchingor receiving tray 169. While the transfer section 132 is an integralpart of the injecting machine apparatus and method of the presentinvention, those skilled in the art will readily recognize that thetransfer section can be constructed as a separate and independentmachine for transferring injected eggs from an incubating tray or eggflat into a hatching or receiving tray. Typical stand alone transfermachines are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,107,794 and 5,247,903.Hence, it is contemplated that the transfer section 132 of the presentinvention can be an integral part of an overall injection and transfermachine or as a separate stand alone transfer machine.

Referring now to FIGS. 34-38, there is shown one embodiment of thetransfer assembly 133 for transferring eggs from the incubating tray 168to the hatching tray 169. This is the embodiment shown generally in thetransfer section 132 in FIGS. 9 and 10. The transfer assembly 133 inthis embodiment includes a rectangular generally solid support plate 600which is positioned to move up and down with respect to the injectedeggs in the incubating tray 168. The support plate 600 supports a bankof suction cup assemblies, generally designated by reference numeral602, that align with each of the injected eggs in the tray 168. Thesuction cup assemblies are loosely received in circular openings 606 inthe support plate 600 such that the assemblies 602 are free to movevertically with respect to the support plate.

The operator initiates transfer by placing a hatching tray 169 on theright side track 152 of the machine. The tray 169 is moved down thetrack 152 while the incubating tray 168 is moving down the left sidetrack 150. After the eggs in the tray 168 are injected, the tray 168 andinjected eggs move forward to the transfer section 132 under thetransfer assembly 133. Sensors 295 and 297 in the center guide 158 alongtrack 152 sense when the hatching tray 169 is in place in the transfersection 132 parallel to the incubating tray 168 with the injected eggs.The sensors signal the PLC to start the transfer sequence.

Each suction cup assembly 602 includes a generally annular body 604, anda flexible suction cup 608 mounted on its lower end. An outwardlyextending flange 610 around the top of the body 604 prevents theassemblies 602 from moving downwardly out of the support plate openings606. The number and location of the assemblies 602 preferably correspondin number and location to the egg holding depressions 182 in eachincubating tray 168. This configuration allows the transfer of all ofthe eggs in a tray at one time.

The annular body 604 includes an open cylindrical center 612 whichgenerally aligns with the injection or punctured hole 614 punched in theegg 616. The hole 606 in the support plate 600 receiving the assembly602 is only slightly larger than the diameter of the body 604 therebyproviding lateral support to the assembly 602 but allowing the assembly602 to remain stationary in the vertical direction upon contact with theinjected egg 616 even as the support plate 600 continues its downwardstroke. The inner surface of the hole 606 is preferably convex in orderto allow the assembly 602 to tilt axially as necessary when engaging theegg 616, as shown in FIG. 36. An air passageway 618 extends the lengthof the body 604 parallel to the open center 612 and includes an airoutlet port 620 at its uppermost end. Appropriate pneumatic connectionand hose (not shown) are connected to the air outlet port 620 to applyand release air suction to passageway 618 for operation of the suctioncup assembly 602. In operation of the transfer assembly 133, the air issucked out from the air outlet port 620 to provide a suction or reducedpressure at the lower end of the body 604 and the suction cup 608.

The suction cup 608 is also annular in configuration and is made of aflexible plastic or elastomeric material. As shown in FIGS. 34, 37 and38, the suction cup 608 fits around the outside lower end of the body604 and includes an inwardly extending circular flange 622 on itsuppermost end which engages in a circular ring 624 on the lower outsidesurface of the annular body 604. The suction cup 608 includes an innertop surface 626 which engages and mates with the lowermost bottomsurface 628 of the body 604. Spaced inwardly of the suction cup innertop surface 626 is an upwardly extending flange 635 which engages groove637 on the inner top surface of the annular body 604 to complete thesealing of the upper annular end of the suction cup 608 to the annularlower end of the body 604.

The suction cup 608 also includes a center hole 632 which aligns withthe opening 612 in the center of the annular body 602. Axially spacedfrom the center hole 632 are a series of vertical suction holes 634which connect to a circular groove 636 formed in the bottom end surface628 of body 604. The groove 636 is sealed by the inner top surface 626of the suction cup 608. There are preferably six vertical suction holes634, but more or less can be utilized as desired. The lower end of thesuction cup 608 tapers outwardly at its lower end to a flexible outersuction seal 638 which forms one circular seal with the outer shellsurface of the egg 616 when the cup 608 is positioned on the egg. Facinginwardly on the bottom of the suction cup 608 is an inner suction seal640 which forms a second circular seal against the outer shell surfaceof the egg 616. The second circular seal formed by inner seal 640 is ata location spaced inwardly from and above the first circular seal formedby the outer seal 638. When positioned on the upper end of the egg 616,the lower end of the suction cup 608 and the first and second circularseals form a circular vacuum ring 642 for lifting the egg 616. Thus,when air is removed from air passageway 618 out through air outlet port620 by a vacuum generator or other suction forming pneumatic component(not shown), a vacuum or reduced pressure is formed in the circularvacuum ring 642 through the vertical holes 634 and circular groove 636,which reduced pressure is sufficient to lift the egg 616 with thesuction cup assembly 602 when it is lifted upwardly by support plate600.

The inner suction seal 640 which forms the second circular seal for thesuction cup 608 with the egg 616 is spaced away from the injection orpunctured hole 614. Thus, the circular vacuum ring 642 which lifts theegg 616 is spaced away from and surrounds the punctured hole 614, andthe portion of the egg 616 which includes the punctured hole 614 is openthrough center hole 632 of the suction cup 608 and cylindrical hole 612of the body 604. Hence, the punctured hole 614 is always subject toatmospheric pressure even when suction or reduced pressure is applied tothe circular vacuum rings 642 to lift the egg 616. Accordingly, thesuction cup assembly 602 is not causing any reduced pressure to becreated inside the egg 616 and, therefore, the potential forcross-contamination is substantially reduced as the suction cupassemblies are used repeatedly on many eggs during normal operation ofthe machine. By creating the vacuum away from the punctured hole of theeggshell, the problems associated with suction cups of the prior artmachines are significantly reduced.

When the support plate 600 has raised the suction cup assemblies 602 totheir uppermost position with the injected eggs adhered to the suctioncups 608 through the reduced air pressure in the circular vacuum rings642, the transfer assembly 133 is then in a position to movetransversely across the machine to a position over the hatching tray 169properly positioned in the left side track 152. This is accomplishedautomatically by activation of the transfer air cylinder 196 which movesthe transfer assembly 133 from above the incubating tray 168 to abovethe hatching tray 169. From this latter position, the support plate 600moves downwardly until the bottom of the eggs 616 engage the bottom ofthe hatching tray 169. Again, the suction cup assemblies 602 arepermitted to move upwardly within openings 606 of the support plate 600,as the support plate continues downwardly to complete its downwardstroke.

When the support plate 600 reaches its downward stroke, the suction orreduced pressure in circular vacuum ring 642 is released throughpassageway 618 and air outlet port 620 thus releasing the eggs 616 fromsealed engagement with the bottom of the suction cups 608. The supportplate 600 then proceeds upwardly raising the suction cup assemblies 602as the outward flanges 610 engage the upper surface of the support plate600 surrounding the openings 604. After the support plate 600 andsuspended suction cup assemblies 602 reach their uppermost position, thetransverse pneumatic cylinder 196 returns the transfer assembly 133 toits original position above the right side or incubating tray track 150.

FIGS. 37 and 38 illustrates one suction gripping assembly 602 in sealingvacuum engagement with one egg 616. FIG. 37 illustrates a verticallystraight or normal engagement with the egg. FIG. 38 illustratesengagement with a skewed or tilted egg. In both examples, when engagingand sealing with the egg, the punctured hole 614 from injection isaligned with the center opening 632 of the annular suction cup 608 andthe center opening 612 of the annular body 604. Hence, the pressuresurrounding the punctured hole in the egg shell is always maintained atatmospheric levels, with the vacuum applied to the egg 616 in a circularring spaced away from the punctured hole.

A preferred embodiment for the support plate and suction cup assembliesof the transfer assembly 133 in accordance with the present invention isshown in FIGS. 39 and 40 and is generally designated by referencenumeral 700. This embodiment is illustrated generally in FIG. 6. In thisembodiment, the assembly 700 includes a moving combination support andair channel plate, generally designated by reference numeral 702,somewhat similar to the injector support and holding plate 200. Thetransfer support plate 702 is made up of mating upper half plate 704 andlower half plate 706 which when sealed together form the transfersupport plate 702. The lower mating surface 708 of the upper half plate704 is machined out to form a raised lower surface 710. Spacers 712 areleft unmachined in surface 708 and the mating upper surface of 713 ofthe lower half plate 706 is smooth and unmachined. Hence, when the halfplates 704 and 706 are mated with the lower surface 708 engaged with theupper surface 713, the raised lower surface 710 forms a flat air chamber714 through the transfer support plate 702, with the spacers 712maintaining the height of the air chamber 714. A seal 715 is positionedin peripheral groove 717, also machined in the mating lower surface 708of the upper half plate 704, to seal off the air chamber 714. The halfplates 704 and 706 are adhered together by appropriate bolts orfasteners (not shown) through spaced holes 716 around the periphery ofthe half plates.

Positioned on top of the upper half plate 704 is a support plate 719.The support plate 719 has two aligned through holes 721 to receive theouter ends of the two piston rods of the tandem pneumatic cylinders 196.The outer ends are fastened to half plates 704 and 706 by appropriatebolts or the like (not shown) through aligned holes 723, shown only inthe upper half plate 704. The air flow chamber 714 is connected to thevacuum generator, or other suction creating component, through holes 725in upper half plate 704, which holes 725 are fitted with connectors 727with appropriate pneumatic hoses (not shown) connecting to the vacuumgenerator. The support plate 719 is appropriately secured by bolts orother suitable fasteners (not shown) to the upper half plate 704 throughholes 725.

Machined through the lower half plate 706 are a series of through holes718 which interconnect with the chamber 714. The through holes 718 arespaced so as to have one hole 718 aligned with each depression orinjected egg supported on the incubating tray 168 when positioned belowthe transfer support plate 702. Attached to each through hole 718 andsupported from the lower surface 720 of the lower half plate 706 are aseries of suction cup assemblies, generally designated by referencenumeral 722. As shown in FIGS. 39 and 40, there is one suction cupassembly 722 for each through hole 718 and, correspondingly, eachsuction cup assembly 722 is aligned with a corresponding depression of,or an injected egg supported by, the tray 168.

The details of the suction cup assembly 722 are illustrated in FIGS.41-46. In this embodiment, the hard plastic annular body 604 is replacedwith a soft flexible vacuum bellows 724, which supports a slightlydifferent flexible suction cup 726. Both the bellows 724 and the suctioncup 726 are made of a flexible plastic, rubber or other elastomericmaterial and are designed so that the bellows 724 and the attachedsuction cup 726 can adjust to any size egg or egg tilt by compressingagainst the egg. This compression procedure produces its own vacuum orreduced pressure when the compressed bellows 724 is sealed at the top.The suction cup 726 allows for approximately a one-half inch diameter ontop of the egg to be connected to atmospheric pressure through one ormore lateral holes 728 located radially through the annular midsection727 of the cup 726. The egg is picked up by the suction cup 726 througha vacuum ring 730 caused by a series of vertical holes 732 evenly spacedaround the suction cup 726. This permits the suction cup 726 to pick upthe egg that has been previously punctured on the top surface withoutcreating negative pressure inside the egg.

The bellows 724 has a solid cone-shaped member 734 at its top end with athrough bore 736 which accepts the hardware, generally designated byreference numeral 737, for connection to the air holes 718 of thetransfer support plate 702. The connecting hardware 737 includes acylindrical bolt 738 which is received in and extends through thethrough bore 736 and has a central opening 740 which extendstherethrough. Mounted on the lower end of the bolt 738 is a securing cap742 which engages the lower surface 744 of the cone member 734. Threadedonto the bolt 728 adjacent its upper end is a nut 745 which engages theupper surface of the cone shaped member 734. By threading the nut 745 toreduce the distance between the nut 745 and the cap 742, the bolt is 738is rigidified within the through bore 736. The upper end of the bolt 738is attached within the holes 718 by mating threads or other sealingconnection. Hence, the inside of bellows 724 is in air communicationwith air channels 714 of the support plate 702 and the pneumaticapparatus of the machine 100.

The suction cup 726 mounted on the lower end of bellows 724 is generallycylindrical and includes a top wall 746 and an upstanding circular rim748 which extends above wall 746. The upstanding circular rim 748 fitsinto the circular receiving curl 750 at the bottom of bellows 724 toassemble the suction cup 726 at the lower end of the bellows 724, asshown in FIGS. 40 and 41. When assembled, the top wall 746 of the vacuumcup 726 forms a lower wall of a vacuum chamber 752 within the bellows724.

The bottom of the suction cup 726 is similar to the bottom of thesuction cup 608 of the previously described embodiment 602 in that itincludes a tapering flexible circular seal 754 which forms an outer sealwith the outer shell surface of an egg 756 when the cup 726 ispositioned on the egg 756. Facing inwardly on the bottom of the suctioncup 726, below wall 746 is an inner seal 758 which seals the suction cup746 against the outer shell surface of the egg 756 at a location spacedaway from and above the outer seal 754 to form the circular vacuum ring730. Vertical holes 732 through the annular midsection 727 provide airflow communication between the circular vacuum ring 730 and the bellowvacuum chamber 752. Thus, as the support plate 702 descends in itsdownward stroke, and each suction cup 726 engages and seats on the upperouter surface of its aligned injected egg, the bellows 724 and bellowsvacuum chamber 752 contract. This contraction forces air out throughopening 740 in hollow rod 738, through plate air chamber 714 and outthrough the pneumatic system of the machine. When the support plate 702reaches the lowermost position of its downward stroke, the vacuumgenerator of the pneumatic system of the machine creates a negativepressure in chamber 714 and thus into the bellows 724. Further, as thesupport plate 702 begins its upward stroke, the vacuum bellows 724attempts to elongate creating a further vacuum or greater negativepressure in the bellows vacuum chamber 752 which is communicated to thesealed circular vacuum ring 730 through holes 732 thus holding the eggto the bottom of the suction cup 726 in a circular ring spaced away fromthe egg perforation. Meanwhile, the air space 760 above the inner seal758 and below the wall 746 is maintained at atmospheric pressure by thelateral holes 728 in the annular midsection.

Subsequently, when the support plate 702 and suction cup assemblies 722have transferred the injected eggs to the hatching tray 169, the closedoff air to plate chamber 714 is opened, thus allowing air into thechamber 714, bellows vacuum chamber 752 and vacuum air ring 730, whichreleases the vacuum on the egg shells and releases the eggs 756 fromsuction cups 726. In the preferred embodiment, there are four 1/16diameter holes 732 spaced vertically around the annular midsection 727.These holes permit the suction cup 726 to pick up eggs 756 that havebeen previously perforated on the top surface without creating negativepressure inside the egg. The annular midsection 727 preferably has tworadial holes 728 for maintaining atmospheric pressure in chamber 760around the egg perforation.

A modified form of the hardware for connecting the suction cup assembly722 to the air holes 718 of the transfer support plate 702 is shown inFIG. 47 and generally designated by reference numeral 800. Theconnecting hardware 800 includes a cylindrical bolt 802 which isreceived in and extends through the through bore 736 and has a centralopening which extends therethrough. The bolt 802 has an enlarged lowerend 804 which has a diameter larger than the through bore 736 so as toretain the bolt 802 in position against the lower surface of the coneshaped member 734. Threaded onto the bolt 802 adjacent its upper end isa circular spacer 806 which engages the upper surface of the cone shapedmember 734 and retains the bolt 802 properly positioned in through bore736. The top end 808 of bolt 802 has a smooth cylindrical surface and isfitted with a conventional elastomeric O-ring seal 810.

In this embodiment, the through holes or openings 718 in the lower halfplate 706 have a smooth inner cylindrical surface which mates with thesmooth outer cylindrical surface of bolt top end 808. When assembled,the top surface 812 of spacer 806 also abuts the lower surface 720 ofthe lower half plate 706. As such, the suction cup assembly 722 can bequickly connected into openings 718 with the O-ring 810 forming the sealwith the inner cylindrical surface of the opening 718. Inasmuch as thesuction cup assembly 722 is always under negative pressure throughchamber 714 when lifting eggs, the negative pressure prevents theassembly 722 from pulling out of the opening 718. Otherwise, when notlifting eggs, the assembly 722 is sufficiently lightweight so as not todisconnect. The quick connecting and disconnecting assembly of thisembodiment allows for easier and faster replacement of each suction cupassembly 722 from the support plate 702 for repair, replacement or thelike.

While suction cup assemblies 602 and 722 are formed of two parts, it maybe possible to form such assemblies of more parts or even a singleunitary structure, so long as the reduced pressure necessary to grip andpick up the egg is formed away from the punctured hole and the areaaround the hole is maintained at atmospheric pressure so as not toimpose any negative pressure inside the egg.

The total time required for the injection and transfer cycle, frominserting a filled incubating tray and empty hatching tray in place toremoving the empty incubating tray and filled hatching tray from therear of the machinery, is about 10 seconds and can be as short as 6-7seconds. It is estimated that with the apparatus and method of thepresent invention one trained operator can inject over 50,000 eggs perhour, if the trays are off-loaded onto a conveyor at the back of themachine, or with two trained operators if the back end of the machine isoff-loaded by hand. In the latter case, the machine provides a balancedsystem for the operators; each handles one full and one empty eggflat/hatching tray during each machine cycle. This system alsofacilitates timing between operators.

The integrated operation of the pneumatic cylinders, fiber optic sensorsand their electronic controls will now be described. Each of thepneumatic air cylinders used in connection with the present inventionincorporate a conventional magnetic or proximity sensor to signal theexternal end of each stroke. As the piston (not shown) moves up and downor forward and reverse, the magnetic sensor signals the position of thepiston to the electronic controller (computer) located in the controlpanel. The controller compares the actual piston position with set pointor program and sends an electronic signal to a servo pneumatic valve,this allows the computer to verify each position before it sends theelectronic signal to a servo pneumatic valve to go to the next step.

There are seven fiber optic sensors located in the parallel tracks 150and 152 where the incubating trays and hatching trays move through themachine, as previously described. The sensors are directly connected tothe electronic controller (computer) and they are located at precisepositions along the track to indicate if the incubating tray or hatchingtray is in its correct position before the process of injection ortransfer can proceed.

Five pneumatic air cylinders activate each of five dead stops located atprecise positions along the parallel tracks 150 and 152, three on theincubating tray track 150 and two on the hatching tray track 152. Thecylinders and dead stops are located in the center guide 158. The deadstops are activated by servo pneumatic valves controlled by theelectronic controller (computer). The dead stops 292, 294 and 299 allowfor a precise longitudinal positioning of the incubating tray andhatching tray in their respective parallel tracks.

Four short pneumatic air cylinders 164 and 166 are also located on theright side of the machine, preferably outside of the moving guide rail156 of the incubating tray track 150. Two of the cylinders support theinjection section moving rail 156 and two support the transfer sectionmoving rail 156. These cylinders are actuated to full stroke and lowpressure by the servo pneumatic valve controlled by the computer. Theylocate and hold the incubating tray straight and against the fixed guiderail 154 during the injection sequence and the transfer sequence.

Two rod-less pneumatic air cylinders 282 are associated with the pusherassemblies 280, one each in the center of the right side track 150 andthe left side track 152. Servo pneumatic valves controlled by thecomputer activate these cylinders. The one on the right side trackoperates in two steps. The first step is to insure that the incubatingtray is positioned firmly against the stop 292. Second, once theinjection sequence is complete and the stop 292 has been pneumaticallyremoved, the right side cylinder gently pushes the egg tray to thetransfer section of the machine against stop 294. The second or leftside cylinder pushes the hatching tray to the transfer section of themachine against stop 299 and alongside the incubating tray.

At the injection section 130 of the machine there are two pneumaticcylinders 186 located vertically and in fixed channel bridge 184. Thecylinders hold and move the egg injection assembly 131 up and down. Theyoperate to full stroke and are controlled by a servo pneumatic valvewhich, in turn, is controlled by the computer. At the transfer section132 of the machine, there are also two pneumatic cylinders 194 locatedvertically and in movable channel bridge 188, which hold and activatethe transfer assembly 133. They operate to full stroke during the eggpick up operation and they operate to a partial stroke controlled by amagnetic sensor signaling the computer during the completion ordepositing of the eggs into the hatching tray.

Finally, there is one pneumatic rod-less cylinder 196 located in thefront cross member 118 of the transfer section 132 of the machine. Thiscylinder 196 operates to full stroke and it carries the transferassembly 133 sideways to transfer the eggs from above the incubatingtray to above the hatching tray. It is controlled by end of strokesensors sending signals to the computer.

As the machine touch screen 146 alerts the operator that the machine isready to start operation, the first stop 270 at the entry of the righthand track 150 is retracted and the second stop 292 in the right handtrack is activated. This allows the operator to load the incubator trayonto the incubator (right side) track. The pusher assembly 280 and therod-less pneumatic air cylinder 282 insure that the tray is against thestop 292. The two fiber optic sensors 268 and 269, one in front and onein the rear, verify the location and the two pneumatic clamping aircylinders 164 insure that the tray is straight against the fixed insiderail 154. These operations guarantee the repeatability of location ofall incubator trays by pushing against two fixed axes.

Once this positioning operation is completed and verified, the injectingsequence starts by activating the two pneumatically operated cylinders186, which lower the injection assembly 131 over the eggs located in theincubating tray. Each injector 204 descends over an individual egg,self-adjusting to the egg's size. Once the sensor of cylinders 186 hasverified to the computer the end of the stroke, the computer signals theservo pneumatic valve, and the gripper support plate 200 is pressurized,firmly and individually holding each injector 204 over its respectiveegg. After a fraction of a second the computer signals a servo pneumaticvalve to pressurize the injectors, forcing the needles 208 to pierce theeggs. The high precision vaccine delivery system is activated and thevaccine is delivered. The needles are retracted, the gripper supportplate is depressurized, and the pneumatic cylinders 186 lift the supportplate carrying up the injectors 204 to its full up-stroke.

Once the computer has verified the completion of the up stroke, thecomputer once again signals the servo pneumatic valve that operates theinjectors 204 and all needles 208 are exposed for disinfection purposes.The injection section rear stop 292 is retracted, the rear or transfersection stop 294 is simultaneously activated, the pneumatic clampingcylinders 164 of the injection section retract the moving guide rail156, and the rod-less pneumatic air cylinder 282 is activated to causethe pusher assembly 280 to push the incubator tray to the rear of themachine or transfer section against the transfer section stop 294. Thefront and rear fiber optic sensors 271 and 273 of the transfer sectionverify the position of the tray, and the second set of pneumaticclamping cylinders 166 is operated to clamp the tray in the transfersection.

The operator should load the hatching tray on the parallel left sidetrack 152 right after loading the incubator tray on the right side track150. The hatching tray is pushed to the transfer section of the machineagainst a pneumatic stop 295 at the rear of the machine. The front andrear fiber optic sensors 295 and 297 located in the transfer section onthe hatching tray track 152 verify the position of the tray. Once thehatching tray is in place, the transfer sequence may begin. A movingguide rail 156 for clamping the hatching tray in its track 152 is notnecessary and preferably one is not included in the machine.

Once the signal has been received by the computer that a hatching trayis in place, the computer immediately signals a servo pneumatic valveactivating two pneumatic cylinders 194 to lower to a full bottom strokethe transfer assembly 133 with the associated suction cup assemblies.The computer simultaneously turns on the vacuum generator and upon aminimal dwell at the bottom of stroke the eggs are picked up. The vacuumgenerator gauge signals the computer that it has reached the desiredreduced pressure, the computer signals a servo pneumatic valve and thecylinders 194 lift the transfer assembly upwardly with the eggs attachedto the suction cups and out of the incubator tray. As the cylinders 194reach the top of their stroke, the sensor signals the computer to send asignal to a servo pneumatic valve to activate the rod-less cylinder 196to move the transfer assembly mounted on linear bearing rails 190 acrossto the hatching tray track 152. Once the sensor detects the end ofstroke, it signals the computer to lower the transfer assembly with theeggs into the hatching tray. The computer is programmed to recognize amid-stroke sensor and signal the vacuum generator to reverse, gentlyreleasing all eggs. The computer is programmed to reverse this operationand return the transfer support plate back to the home position over theincubator tray track.

The injection section 130 and the transfer section 132 are alsointegrated together in the overall operation of the machine 100. Morespecifically, the transfer assembly 133 will not operate if there is nohatching tray in place on the hatching tray track 152 in the transfersection 132. In order for the transfer assembly 133 to be ready foroperation, the fiber optic sensors 295 and 297 in left side track 152must have sensed that the tray positioning assembly 280 of the hatchingtray track 152 has pushed the hatching tray into its proper longitudinalposition against stop 299. Further, stop 294 prevents the next hatchingtray to be loaded from being pushed into the transfer section 132 untilsensors 295 and 297 sense that the filled hatching tray in the transfersection 132 has been removed from the back of the machine.

The apparatus of the present invention as described herein provides amethod for simultaneously injecting at one time all of the eggsnecessary to fill one hatching tray and at a predetermined locationwithin the eggs. The method of the present invention is applicable toany bird egg, and particularly those which are commercially reared formeat or egg production. Any substance may be efficiently and preciselyinjected into the egg, including without limitation antimicrobials suchas antibiotics, bactericides, sulfonamides; vitamins; enzymes;nutrients; organic salts; hormones; adjuvants; immune stimulators;vaccines and the like.

The scope of the method of the present invention extends to immunizationagainst all immunizable avian diseases, whether of viral, bacterial orother microbial origin. Birds which are reared in high density brooderhouses, such as broiler and layer chickens, are especially vulnerable toinfectious agents and would largely benefit from pre-hatch vaccination.Examples of such, without limitation, are Marek's disease, infectiousbronchitis, infectious bursal, Newcastle disease, adenovirus diseases,reovirus, pox, laryngotracheitis, influenza, infectious coryza, fowltyphoid and fowl cholera. Vaccinating avian embryos potentiallyincreases hatchability and livability during grow-out.

The present invention has many advantages, including providing an egginjection assembly 130 comprising a series of vertically movableinjectors 204, each designed to position itself in relation to an egg sothat the injection location within the egg is precise and consistent andall eggs are injected at one time. Since the injectors 204 arevertically adjustable, and the contact area of the stabilizing nipple230 is relatively small, the injectors can individually adjust tovarying heights and orientation of each individual egg in the incubatingtray. This is desirable because eggs can assume different axes ofrotation within depressions in the conventional egg flats. Hence, therelationship defined by the seated position of the stabilizing nipple230 against the egg can position the extended needle at a predeterminedlocation within the egg with respect to the center of rotation of theegg. Since the center of rotation of the egg remains relatively fixedwith respect to the contact surface of the nipple 230, the injectorconfiguration ensures that the needles always extend to what issubstantially the same injection region with respect to the center ofrotation of the egg irrespective of any egg tilt. Thus, a plurality ofeggs can be consistently injected at a desired location, bothhorizontally and vertically, regardless of individual differences in eggsize and orientation.

The needle design of the present invention also allows for egg shellpenetration without a separate punch or drill. The needle tip is sturdyenough to penetrate thousands of egg shells, and the relatively largesize of the hole diameter and the shape of the needle tip assures thatclogging with egg shell is avoided.

The fluid delivery assemblies of the present invention move fluidsthrough the machine under low internal line pressure without pumping andwith a minimum of friction and turbulence. The fluid is injected out ofthe needles rapidly and with a very high controllable precision.Moreover, due to the low internal line pressure, hydraulic shear isminimized and cell integrity maximized. This is desirable since vaccineefficiency is dose-related and depends on cell integrity in vaccines,such as for Marek's disease. Thus, the apparatus of the presentinvention is particularly useful in vaccine delivery since the apparatuswill destroy fewer cells in the delivery process and therefore a higheractual vaccine titer will be delivered to the egg.

The apparatus and method of the present invention also offer a verysanitary injection environment. All of the structural components of themachine are sealed and welded together; there are no cracks or crevices.The control panel 144 is preferably pressurized to keep out airbornecontaminants. This sanitary environment minimizes the potential forcross-contamination of eggs. Moreover, the sanitization system isdesigned to be independent of the injection system thereby eliminatingcongested tubing. The positioning of the spray nozzles behind the pusherto traverse the injection section as the incubating tray with theinjected eggs is simultaneously moved to the transfer section insurescomplete, uniform coverage of the sanitization fluid on all portions ofthe injectors which touch the eggs during the injection process whilealso saving time in the machine cycle. The sanitization spray directlyimpinges all sides of the exposed needles, the outside of the injectorsbelow the support plate 200 and the underneath side of the support plateitself.

Further, egg transfer of the injected eggs from the incubating trays tothe hatching trays in accordance with the present invention is asignificant improvement over the known egg transfer machines usingvacuum cups. The vacuum cups potentially provide an easy path forcross-contamination of the eggs. In the present invention, after the eggis injected, the penetration hole in the egg is maintained atatmospheric pressure, thus ensuring that the egg interior is notsubjected to a reduced pressure. This is accomplished by the specialdesign of the vacuum cup assembly of the present invention by which theegg shell is subjected to vacuum pressure in a vacuum ring around thepenetration hole and not over the hole. Thus, a possible path for crosscontamination is eliminated. Moreover, the vacuum cup assembly of thepresent invention is easily cleaned in a few minutes, as opposed to thevacuum cups and manifolds of other machines which must be disassembledand placed in an aerated chemical bath for more than 30 minutes.

The apparatus of the present invention also produces a marked increasein productivity. The simplicity of the parallel machine tracks,horizontally moving transfer assembly and the egg handling paths reducelabor. One operator can perform all necessary operations, whereas theknown technology requires two operators who have to continuouslycoordinate their tasks carefully for smooth and efficient operation. Thepresent invention also allows feeding the incubating tray right from thehatchery without switching to another tray or feeding one egg flat at atime on a moving conveyor. The present method frees the operator toperform other tasks after he has loaded the filled incubating tray intothe machine. Outputs are greater than with double the labor on thecurrent commercial machine. The apparatus of the present invention isalso simple in construction, this resulting in easier cleaning and adecrease in manufacturing and operating costs over known machines andmethods.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown andescribed, and, accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

1. A suction cup assembly for transferring injected eggs having aninjection hole in an upper surface of each egg which comprises a bodysection and a contact section at a lower portion of said body sectionthat is separable from said body section, said contact sectioncontacting said egg at a location spaced from said injection hole andencircling a top portion of the egg to enclose a central area over saidtop portion that includes said injection hole, said contact sectionimposing a reduced pressure at said location on said egg to grip saidegg without applying negative pressure to said hole, said central areabeing in communication with a surrounding atmosphere through an openingto maintain atmospheric pressure at said injection hole so that apressure inside said egg is unaffected by the reduced pressure imposedby said contact section, said opening being configured in said contactsection such that air can pass between said central area and saidsurrounding atmosphere through said opening without entering said bodysection.
 2. The assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said bodysection is in the form of a flexible bellows which upon contractionthereof causes said reduced pressure between said contact section andsaid egg.
 3. The assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said opening isin a lateral side wall of said contact section.
 4. The assembly asdefined in claim 1, wherein said contact section contacts said egg in agenerally circular location spaced around said hole and said reducedpressure between said cup and said egg is in a circular ring at saidspaced circular location.
 5. The assembly as defined in claim 1, whereinsaid contact section is defined by a flexible cup and conforms to asurface of said egg where contacted.
 6. The assembly as defined in claim1, wherein said assembly is connected to a. vacuum pressure source forcausing said reduced pressure to be imposed between said contactsections and said eggs, said body section including a vacuum chamberwith a through bore at a top thereof for connection to said vacuumpressure source.
 7. The assembly as defined in claim 6, wherein saidcontact section is generally cylindrical and includes a top wall thatseparates the central area from the vacuum chamber of said body section.8. The assembly as defined in claim 7, wherein a lower end of saidcontact section has an outer side and an inner side, said outer sidetapering outwardly to a flexible outer suction seal which forms a firstcircular seal with the egg shell, said inner side including an innersuction seal which forms a second circular seal with the egg shell thatis inwardly and above said first circular seal.
 9. The assembly asdefined in claim 8, wherein said lower end of said contact section andsaid first and second circular seals form a generally circular vacuumring, said vacuum pressure source creating said reduced pressure in saidgenerally circular vacuum ring.
 10. The assembly as defined in claim 9,wherein said contact section includes an annular midsection having atleast one vertical hole that provides airflow communication between thecircular vacuum ring and the body section vacuum chamber.
 11. Theassembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said body section is in the formof a bellows that is flexible in both vertical and horizontal directionsto accommodate different size eggs as well as differences in angularorientation of the eggs.
 12. A suction cup assembly for transferringinjected eggs having a hole in an upper surface of each egg, saidassembly comprising an upper body section with a vacuum chamber and aseparate contact section positioned below said upper body section andseparable therefrom, said contact section having an egg contactingsurface that encloses a central area around the egg injection hole, saidegg contacting surface including generally concentric inner and outersuction seals that are spaced from said hole and from one another toform a generally circular vacuum ring between said seals, said contactsection further including an annular midsection having a plurality ofspaced suction holes providing air flow communication between the bodysection vacuum chamber and the vacuum ring when negative pressure isapplied to said vacuum chamber, said central area being separated fromsaid negative pressure and directly connected to atmospheric pressurethrough an opening in said contact section so that a pressure inside theeggs is unaffected when the negative pressure is applied to the vacuumring through the spaced suction holes to grip the eggs.
 13. The assemblyas defined in claim 12, wherein said contact section further includes aconnecting structure for coupling an upper portion of said contactsection to a lower end of said upper body section to form said assembly.14. The assembly as defined in claim 13, wherein said connectingstructure includes an upstanding circular rim that engages with acircular receiving curl at a lower end of said body section.
 15. Theassembly as defined in claim 12, wherein said body section is in theform of a flexible bellows that contracts when negative pressure isapplied to cause reduced pressure between said vacuum ring of saidcontact section and said egg.
 16. The assembly as defined in claim 12,wherein said contact section includes an upper wall that separates saidcentral area from said body section vacuum chamber.
 17. The assembly asdefined in claim 16, wherein said opening is in a lateral side wall ofsaid contact section through which air can pass without entering saidbody section.
 18. The assembly as defined in claim 16, wherein said bodysection is in the form of a bellows that is flexible in both verticaland horizontal directions to accommodate different size eggs as well asdifferences in angular orientation of the eggs.